England legend Paul Gascoigne has reassured friends and family that he is “fine” after collapsing at his home and being rushed to intensive care over the weekend. The 58-year-old was found semi-conscious at his residence on Friday evening and was promptly taken to a nearby hospital in Poole, Dorset.
Despite the initial scare, Gazza has informed his close ones that he is on the mend. Although initially expected to stay in hospital for several days, he may be discharged sooner than anticipated. A source close to the iconic former fooballer revealed: “He has told friends that he is fine and was going to give an update later today. He has been doing well recently so this was an unexpected setback. He had a full three months without alcohol over the summer while he was doing various speaking engagements and looked really well.”
In a candid interview with the Mirror last year, Gazza openly discussed his ongoing struggle with alcoholism, confessing that he occasionally ‘fell off the wagon’.
The alarming incident on Friday unfolded when Gazza’s friend Steve Foster, affectionately known as ‘Fozzie’, discovered him in a dire state at home. Mr Foster, who also serves as Gazza’s driver and personal assistant, swiftly transported the ex-footballer to the hospital.
Speaking about the situation, he said: “Paul is in hospital, which is the best possible place for him to be right now.”
Gazza’s stepdaughter Bianca, a reality TV star, his two sisters Lindsay and Anna, along with former footballer mates Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle, Paul Merson and Vinnie Jones are believed to be closely monitoring his health.
Regarded as one of the finest midfield maestros of his era, England hero Gascoigne holds a special place in the hearts of fans. He earned 57 caps and netted ten goals for England between 1988 and 1998.
Having risen through the youth ranks at hometown club Newcastle United, he made his first-team debut for the Magpies in April 1985. He found the back of the net 25 times in 104 appearances for Newcastle before transferring to Tottenham Hotspur.
In North London, he played a pivotal role in Spurs’ FA Cup triumph in 1991 and spent four years with the club before making a move to Lazio. His career later saw him don the jerseys of Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Burnley.
However, it was with the Three Lions that Gazza truly won over the nation. He made his international debut in September 1988 under Bobby Robson and played a crucial role in England’s journey to the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
His tearful exit from the 1990 World Cup semi-final against Germany resonated with fans, as did his spectacular goal against Scotland at Euro 96.
Despite his talent, he was controversially left out of the squad for the 1998 World Cup in France by Glenn Hoddle, bringing his international career to an end with 10 goals from 57 appearances.
Gazza’s recent health scare follows the closure of his company in early July due to a failure to submit records on time. Companies House declared that the firm has been struck off and dissolved.
Gazza was represented for years by booking agent Katie Davies. It is thought that she has now withdrawn from involvement in his daily life. She was not available for comment today.