Paul Gascoigne fined over drink-fuelled disturbance


Gazza has struggled with drink and drugs since retiring in 2004

Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has been fined over a drunken disturbance in Newcastle. The 42-year-old was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in the Jesmond area of the city in the early hours.
He was taken into custody and later received a fixed-penalty notice, said Northumbria Police.
The ex-Newcastle and Tottenham player has faced a long battle with alcohol, and last year was detained twice under the Mental Health Act.
In a BBC interview earlier this year, he said he had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and claimed to have been clean of drink or drugs for four months.
Gifted midfielder
He said: "In the past every time I left rehab I thought I'm going to have a drink and I had no thought of that this time.
"I am a different Paul now."
Gascoigne began his career at Newcastle in 1985, and in 1988 transferred to Tottenham for £2.3m, having played 99 games and scored 25 goals.
He shot to fame during the 1990 World Cup in Italy, when he helped England to the World Cup semi-finals.
The gifted midfielder retired in 2004, after which his addiction to drugs and alcohol spiralled out of control.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8416507.stm