Paul Gascoigne: "I remember Vinnie Jones' handshake." Paul Gascoigne: "I remember Vinnie Jones' handshake" The last years of Gascoigne as a football player

Paul Gascoigne is a British football player known for his talent and unbridled temper. In the football environment, he received the nickname Gazza. He played as a midfielder, for about 10 years he was a key player in England (1988-1998). But Paul Gascoigne became famous not only for his amazing game. The antics of a football player on and off the field are known to many football fans.

From the football field to the clinic

The story about Gazza should begin not from the day of his birth, but from the moment when he turned from a hero of the nation into a prisoner of the white walls of one of the Arizona clinics. How did a nice guy from England end up in a US hospital? The fault was the lifestyle that the football player adhered to. Constant parties, sleepless nights, lots of women, soft drugs. And most importantly - alcohol, a lot of alcohol.

"Paul Gascoigne - Alcoholic" - a frequent headline in English newspapers of the time. "Gazza" drank a lot, what is there to hide. Often, binges were replaced by deep depressions, which required even more alcohol. However, the body, exhausted by partying, was already beginning to rebel. Saved the pills. And he didn't care about football.

Despite this, Gascoigne can be called lucky. He's not the kind of famous person that his friends turn their backs on when they're in trouble. It was the relatives who came to the aid of the fallen midfielder, who needed support more than ever.

And not only the most relatives tried to help this cheerful and sympathetic guy from Foggy Albion. Even the fans did not stand aside, trying to support their idol. Paul Gascoigne does not agree to treatment, convinces others that he can handle it himself. However, in the end, he gives up and goes to distant Arizona. It was the early 2000s, Gazza's career with quick steps went to sunset...

Namesake of McCartney and Lennon

Many believed that Paul Gascoigne was so reckless because of a difficult childhood. The Gazza family was poor, money appeared very rarely. Due to the difficult financial situation, the brother of the future football star was sent to a boarding school.

The midfielder's full name is Paul John. He was born during the period of popularity of the Beatles, and therefore was named after them. Paul Gascoigne now boasts beautiful life. At that time, the Gascoigne family had to get out with all their might. My father worked at a construction site, doing the dirtiest jobs. Mother worked hard at three jobs. There was never any money. But there were four children in the family.

First steps in football

Initially, the boy kicked the ball to distract himself from the gray poor life. At that time in England there was little entertainment, and many began to take a drink. However, Paul already in childhood set out to play football at a professional level. The dream began to come true at the age of 17, when he joined Newcastle, which at that time was not the last club in the UK. Soon he ends up in the youth team at all.

He got his nickname while playing for the backup squad. However, there is a legend that it appeared after one of the commentators said the phrase: "This player turned the field into the Gaza Strip."

Outstanding footballer with one "but"

Paul Gascoigne is a talented footballer and it's hard to argue with that. He is very good, despite the fact that he cannot boast of a mountain of cups and titles. Many current football fans will laugh at the number of trophies Ronaldo or Rooney has won. Paul Gascoigne could become a superstar and conquer best stadiums world, but frequent injuries and drinking did not allow him to climb to the top.

Already in childhood, he began to undergo injuries, breaking his arms twice and breaking his head. Once, while exploring a construction site, he stepped on a rusty nail, after which he miraculously did not lose his foot. He attracted injuries like a magnet. Being professional football player in total, he missed about 4.5 years, visited the surgeon's table more than 20 times.

All this unpleasant picture was supplemented by stress, violation of the regime, alcohol, problems with being overweight. It’s even surprising: how did this guy manage to get to the European and World Championships? And not just to get in, but to play at a high level.

addiction to alcohol

It is not known for certain when Gazza began to take a drink. Yes, and it was difficult to find a non-drinking football player in England during the 60-80s. Many legends of the English league could safely get drunk in the evening and take to the field in the morning in an important match.

Of this number of players was Gazza. The midfielder did not miss a single opportunity to “fill his eyes”. He drank before training, after training, before matches and after they ended. There are cases when Paul "rolled" in the breaks of fights. In 1996, he played for the Scottish Rangers. The first half of the game for the Cup of the country has passed. The game isn't going well for the Rangers, which is Gazza's fault. The midfielder, without thinking twice, goes to a bar where he drinks, and then goes out onto the field. Surprisingly, he scored twice in the second half. He did this more than once.

European Championship in England

In 1996, the founder of football was entrusted with holding the European Championship. The English team has collected the best football players of that time, among them was Paul Gascoigne. The midfielder was sure that this was his chance to shine to the whole world, and even stopped drinking. However, he breaks down just before the start, when he is sent to training camp in Hong Kong. It's Gazza's birthday, why not have a feast on board the plane? It all ends not very well: broken TVs, pestering flight attendants...

Despite this, England became one of the favorites for the 1996 EURO, and Paul scored his most famous goal. However, in the semi-finals, the British failed to beat the Germans in the penalty shootout. Bottom line - Gazza gets drunk and cries in his room.

The last years of Gascoigne as a football player

The 1998 World Cup becomes Paul's main goal. He understands that his career is going to decline, and he has already entered his fourth decade. Gascoigne qualified well, but just before leaving, he finds out that he did not make the list of the main team. This news shocks Gazza and becomes the beginning of the end. He did not follow the games of the national team, only occasionally learning the news in the bar, where he spent most of his time.

For several years, he jumped at every opportunity to stay in football. I played in China and the USA, but it didn't last long. In 2005, he tries himself as a coach, but here he will be disappointed. In the end, Paul just waved his hand and began to gradually drown in his experiences and alcohol.

Then there were the clinics that pulled out former star from that world. He did not appear in the football environment, but the fans did not forget about him. Often he attended various shows, where he became more of a comedian than a football player. And he made people laugh. Despite leaving football, he remained the same simple guy.

Paul's antics

Of course, Gazza was known as the alcoholic of world football, but do not forget about his hilarious antics that made fans roll on the floor with laughter:

• and Paul Gascoigne once had an argument on the field. Winnie grabbed Paul for manhood, for which he received a rose in the locker room, in response he sent a toilet brush.
• There was a case when Gazza showed up at the bar in the form of the national team.
• He snatched a hammer from a worker and began to pound the asphalt on one of the streets of Great Britain, laughing wildly at the same time.
• He joked with Brotherton by sending a transvestite to his room.
• In one of the matches, he picked up a yellow card that the referee dropped and showed it to him. For this I received the same card in return.
• Once I sniffed under the armpit of the judge when he raised his hand.
• He treated his comrades to a pie, the filling of which was the excrement of a football player.

Even for very good actors, the best roles are those where they do not have to play anything, and it is enough to be themselves. The director's talent partly lies precisely here - in the selection of characters for the characters of those who best correspond to them in life.

It was on this principle that Vinnie Jones, a former English footballer, flashed in the cinema, who unexpectedly became one of the textbook characters of criminal black comedies filmed in Britain 15-20 years ago.

Childhood

Vincent Peter Jones was born in 1965 in Watford, Hertfordshire, East Anglia. Like any ordinary British boy, he loved to play football. Already at the age of 9, Jones played for the school team - this age record in his country has not yet been broken by anyone.

Soon Winnie began to play for the county team, and then led it. At the same time, he played for the children's team of the local Watford club, which is now in the English Premier League. For a talented teenager, a transition to the adult team would be a logical step. In the case of Winnie, the club's management decided otherwise. Due to his small stature and frail build, he was considered unpromising and was expelled from the team.

How long have you been in football

For some time, Jones really quit football, but already in 1984 he returned as part of the Veldstone amateur club. Together with him, he won the championship and the FA Cup (in the amateur league), after which he left to play in Sweden. In the Scandinavian kingdom, he, together with the Holmsund team, won the third division of the local championship in 1986.

Comparing English and Swedish football is meaningless. Against the background of the favorite game of the British, their colleagues from cold Sweden cannot be seen even under a microscope. Therefore, in the same 1986, Jones returned to his homeland and moved to Wimbledon. In 1988, Winnie, together with this team, wins the now professional FA Cup. For Wimbledon, which has existed since 1889, this victory has remained the highest achievement so far.

Every English club has an unofficial nickname, many have more than one. It is noteworthy that the Wimbledon players, in addition to the Dons, are also called the Psycho Gang. For the stubborn, extremely capricious and, of course, talented Jones best place then it was not to be found.

After the victory of Wimbledon, players from its composition began to be lured by clubs with a higher rank. For several years, Jones played successively at Leeds United, Sheffield United and Chelsea, after which he returned to the Dons, becoming their captain. He played more than 250 matches for Wimbledon. In 1998, Winnie spent a little time as a playing coach of another British club, Queens Park Rangers, and at the age of 33 he completed a great football career.

In total, Jones played 384 official matches, on his account 33 goals scored. He usually did not need to break through to the gates of the opposing team - he was always a defender or midfielder.

Dirty game

On the football field, Vinnie Jones has an image of a "tough guy". For this, he was often criticized and called one of those who discredit football. Not particularly favored by Jones and journalists. They constantly accused him of clumsiness and inappropriate rudeness.

When it came to Wimbledon's FA Cup victory, one newspaper wrote that winning the trophy for a team with players like Vinnie Jones would be "a mockery of football" as there are so many great players in the country that never receiving such a title.

Winnie's nickname was appropriate - 'Axe', that is, "Axe" or "Axe". During his football career, he was sent off 12 times from the field. Once he received a yellow card already three seconds after entering the lawn for a tackle on an attacking opponent.

The most striking illustration of rudeness, perhaps, will be the case when Jones furiously squeezed in his fist, let's say, the crotch of another English football star, Paul Gascoigne. The photograph of this episode was probably seen by many who were interested in Vinnie's football past.

In another match, Jones inflicted a very serious injury on Gary Stevens, at that time an England international, which ended Stevens' career. However, Vinnie was so tough only as part of Wimbledon. At Leeds, he received only 3 yellow cards, and during the game for Sheffield and Chelsea he was never removed from the field.

Like any football player, Jones dreamed of playing for the England national team, but because of his scandalous reputation, he had no chance of getting there. However, he was able to play for Wales. Winnie was born in an English city, but he managed to prove the presence of Welsh roots on the maternal side. For Wales, Jones played 9 matches and even served as the captain of the national team. He was also invited to the Irish national team. However, the search for Irish roots was less successful.

Sudden Guy Ritchie

In 1998, Guy Ritchie released his Cards, Money, Two Smoking Barrels. The low-budget film was immediately criticized for allegedly shamelessly copying Tarantino. But when the film was revealed to the mass audience, it became clear that Ritchie shot one of the iconic British films of the 1990s.

Vinnie Jones had no acting experience before. Richie invited him to his directorial debut after seeing him on one of the TV shows where he participated as a football player. On the first day of filming, Jones arrived at the set directly from the police station - the day before he was arrested for a fight with a neighbor.

"Cards" shot so well that Guy Ritchie immediately conceived the next picture on a similar theme - "Snatch". Naturally, there was a place in it for Winnie. It was he who was supposed to play the gypsy Mickey. However, big Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fan Brad Pitt asked Ritchie for a role for himself in the new film.

Richie simply could not refuse a star of such magnitude. When it turned out that Pitt would not be able to fit into the panopticon of London bandits due to his inability to reliably imitate the local accent, it was decided to give him the role of a slurred gypsy. Yes, yes, Mickey's speech in "Snatch" is in many ways precisely in order to disguise his completely non-British origin.

Vinnie Jones ended up playing bully Tony "Bullet in the Teeth" for hire, and he did a great job. The acting skills of the former footballer have been recognized with several awards and positive reviews from critics. Dustin Hoffman even called him "the new Bruce Willis."

Through the Hollywood Hills

The incredible debut helped Jones build a meteoric acting career out of nothing. In the image of a sarcastic thug, he performed in several large projects at once - Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Password Swordfish (2001), Eurotrip (2004).

Footballer Winnie played only once in the film "Bone Breaker" (2001), which was produced by Guy Ritchie. However, the film did not receive much success, and even comparing it with "Cards" and "Big Jackpot" is somehow embarrassing. But later, Hollywood shot a kind of remake of the picture - "All or Nothing" with Adam Sandler and a whole set of famous wrestlers.

In 2006, Vinnie Jones starred in his biggest-budget film, X-Men 3. Naturally, he got the role of a giant mutant with great power there. After the premiere, Vinnie announced that he had signed a contract for the next two parts of X-Men. However, he did not appear in them.

Hostage of the image

Permanent role Vinnie Jones the viewer, alas, soon became boring. After 2006, with all the desire, it is not possible to find a single major or successful project in which the actor would play. He continues to act actively. For example, in 2012, several films with his participation were released at once: “Pretend to be my husband”, “Stolen”, “Freelancers”, “Magic Guys”. Can you remember any of this?

It seems that today Jones takes any job offered. He travels to Alma-Ata to star in the thriller "Liquidator" (2010) from the Kazakh director Akhan Sataev. In 2014, Vinnie plays in the failed Russian science fiction "The Calculator". He performs in musical theatre, starred in second-rate serials and does not refuse filming in documentary entertainment shows.

In general, the current Vinnie Jones on the screen can only be seen by chance. It is unlikely that anyone deliberately follows his career. However, this does not deprive Jones of past acting merits. "Big Chris" and Tony "Bullet in the Teeth" will always be with us as one of the most memorable archetypes of the London gangster bottom. And any episode with his participation from the first two Guy Ritchie films will invariably cheer you up.

Paul Gascoigne - 10 wildest stories

Paul Gascoigne is the biggest bully and alcoholic in football history. Throughout his career, he drank and went crazy. The other day, the former England midfielder told another fiery tale. Well, this is a great occasion to remember his other wild stories.

Fresh. About Les Ferdinand's genitals

“I was in the locker room,” Gascoigne says. And then Ferdinand came out, completely naked. You should have seen his trunk! I felt miserable. I went up to Les and said: "Man, please let me touch him." The forest didn't mind.

I went on the field and played very cool, I even scored.

The next game was at Wembley. I sat down with Les again.

Well, - I say, - get it.

“This is the tradition,” continues Gascoigne. We played together for the national team for five good years.”

Ferdinand's reaction was not long in coming:

“It's all nonsense,” Les laughs. Gascoigne completely went crazy.

https://twitter.com/FM_Twittah/status/868480162563837952

Belching for nine thousand pounds

In 1993, Lazio fined the striker £9,000. The reason for this was a short interview with Gascoigne. Which, as they say, was discussed even in the Italian parliament.

The essence of the incident is simple. Gazza was not included in the application for the match with Juventus. And he gave reporters this comment.

Blatter and Santa Claus

Sepp Blatter has arrived in Rome. The FIFA Secretary General was going to visit the Lazio base. On this occasion, the team's coach, Dino Zoff, asked the players to dress up.

Gazza came dressed as Santa Claus, sat next to Blatter and said:

"Hi, I'm Santa. Ho, ho, ho!"

The reward for the masquerade was a portion of two workouts a day for the whole week. Seven days a week.

https://twitter.com/DanishFooty/status/868431312587304961

Bus driver

History of the Middlesbrough.

Gascoigne was wandering around the training ground when he saw the driver of the club bus, who went to drink a cup of tea. Gazza proceeded to the dining room. And, five minutes later, he returned with the keys in his hands.

The football player got behind the wheel and went for a drive. Nearby, at the bus stop, were two girls.

Hello! Sit down, where are you? - slowed down the newly minted driver.

The ladies went up to the saloon. Moments later, the bus crashed into a wall.

https://twitter.com/NufcMemorabilia/status/878664072895635456

Vinnie Jones and Easter

Paul Gascoigne in the "Newcastle" met with a gang of Vinnie Jones from "Wimbledon".

The whole match Gazza got Jones. At one point, Vinnie could not stand it. Grabbed an opponent for something that came to hand. Namely - for the genitals. football history replenished with a famous frame.

It’s all right,” Jones recalls. - After all, it was at Easter.

After the game, as a token of reconciliation, Gazza sent Jones a red rose. Winnie responded with a package, which was a toilet brush. They say the players are still friends.

https://twitter.com/MaracanaCalcio/status/868385913801502721

sausage rap

After the 1990 World Cup, Gazza was on a roll. And launched a musical career. The first single was a remake of one of the old British songs.

There is nothing surprising in the choice of Gascoigne. In the first lines of the hit, it is sung about "sweet sausages sliding on the tongue."

Dumb as a mop

This characterization was given to Gascoigne by Sir Bobby Robson, England mentor in the 80s. In response, Gazza showed up to practice with mop brushes inserted into his gaiters.

https://twitter.com/tempoweb/status/868457375761653761

A little more Italy

At a press conference on the occasion of the transition to Lazio, Gascoigne demanded silence from journalists. And then melodiously spoiled the air.

Vinnie Jones is a charismatic professional actor from the UK, a former footballer who played for Chelsea, Wimbledon and Leeds United. This man is known around the world for his unique style of playing football, based on toughness and aggression, and for his memorable roles in popular X-Men films.

Childhood and football

The path of Vinnie Jones to fame and recognition was long and difficult. In childhood, in early age, he became interested in football, began to play it in the nursery sports school. His coaches were the best specialists England, so after a while Jones had already worked out excellent technique, passing accuracy and “reading” the game. However, the guy’s height was not suitable, so the road to big football was closed to him - the coaches did not see the prospects for such a “small” player.

Vinnie got into the world of professional football through amateur football - he and a team of like-minded people literally broke into the sports proscenium and attracted the maximum attention of coaches professional clubs series devastating victories at the amateur level and in the lower divisions of the country.

Hard game Vinnie Jones

The top clubs in the country drew attention to the technical and sharp player that Winnie became. He managed to play in a number of professional clubs from the top division of England, he also participated in international football tournaments with the Wales national team. The choice of the Wales team instead of England is easily explained - Vinnie's behavior on the field closed his way to the English team, but thanks to the Welsh roots on the mother's side, the player could apply for neighboring Wales.

For excessively tough play and aggressiveness on the field, the player receives the nickname Ax. He was sent off a huge number of times from the field, his behavior was considered the worst among his contemporaries, he received red cards after a three-second stay on the field. Vinnie has become a kind of legend, an example of how not to do it.

His trick with the Newcastle player still amazes the public - then Vinnie's rival Paul Gascoigne, while fighting for the ball, felt the steel grip of Jones's hand in the most intimate place.

Age brought the career of a football player to its logical conclusion - 33-year-old Vinnie quits the sport and goes into the film industry, without having any acting education.

Movies

Motivation to succeed after sports career for Vinnie was an article by a sports journalist, in which the author remarked that "after football, Vinnie will simply disappear, and we will never see him again." And although Jones did not like high life and the flair of Hollywood, he did not want to become a nobody after football.

Vinnie's creative biography in cinema began with pictures where he played a "tough tough guy." The first work in the filmography of Jones was the cult action movie of the late 90s "Cards, Money and Two Smoking Barrels", soon followed by shooting in the blockbuster "Snatch".

The image was assigned to this actor, because his high growth (187 cm) and impressive physical data, along with a courageous face, organically fit into the image of a “bad guy”. Over time, Winnie became even more brutal, increasing his body weight. During football career his weight did not exceed 76 kg, subsequently Jones gained another 13 kg.

It turned out that Vinnie has a hidden talent as an actor, and he is able to play comedic and dramatic roles. For example, the ironic image of a scandalous football player who ended up in prison and decided to put together a football team there was recreated by Vinnie Jones in the comedy Bone Breaker.

His performance in popular films began to receive positive reviews from film critics, he won several international awards. But even after that, there were film critics who published articles and reviews, predicting the imminent decline of Jones' career. And he does film after film.

He began to be invited to appear in high-budget films, in which the main roles were played by top stars -, and others. Vinnie's repertoire is varied, but he is best suited for roles in fantasy blockbusters and sports dramas. He acts in American and English films and receives invitations to European and Asian cinema. True, here he plays the monotonous roles of the "tough American guy."

During the period from 1998 to 2016, Vinnie starred in more than 100 films and television projects. Among his roles - from the superhero action movie "X-Men: last fight”, hired killer Sebastian “M” Moran from the detective series “Elementary”. Vinnie Jones did not refuse the opportunity to embody the image of a bloodthirsty butcher who kills people in the horror "Midnight Express" with the title role.

In 2013, Vinnie Jones became a member of the original television project. He tried himself as a worker of complex specialties in the Really in Russia project. So he finally and irrevocably fell in love with the Russian audience. In one interview, the actor shared his impressions of Russia. According to Vinnie Jones, Russian hospitality is similar to the Irish. The artist was also surprised by the opportunity to travel by train without a break for 24 hours, and the fact that in many regions simple movement between settlements is accompanied by extreme sports. Not without a symbol of Russia - a bear, which Jones repeatedly met in the taiga.

Vinnie Jones about Russia

Vinnie also managed to appear in a couple more television projects, work in a newspaper (led a column about sports) and comment on a number of football matches high level. Vinnie Jones is no stranger to music - he recorded several blues albums with his own songs, showing limitless musical and creative abilities.

Personal life

Hot guy Vinnie Jones has always been popular with the fairer sex. During his Wimbledon career, he met Milena Elliston, with whom he began a brief relationship. The football player did not plan a wedding, but in 1991 Milena gave him their first child, the son of Aaron. The boy stayed with his mother, but he also maintains a close relationship with his father.

In the mid-90s, Vinnie decided to settle down and married Tatiana Lamont, his longtime acquaintance, the ex-wife of football player Steve Terry. There are no common children in the family of Vinnie and Tanya, but their parents raised Tatyana's daughter from her first marriage, Kylie. At one time the Jones family lived in England near the city of Sheffield. In the early years of their marriage, Tanya underwent a heart transplant, after which Jones donated to the clinic his fee from filming the film that brought him popularity, "Cards, Money, Two Smoking Barrels."

In 2013, the public became aware that Winnie and his wife were battling a terrible disease - skin cancer. The actor's wife had been battling cancer for 7 years by now. The cause of the tumors was hormonal pills that Tanya had been taking for a decade. Vinnie discovered he had cancer later. A tumor in the form of a mole appeared on the actor's face.

Over the next two years, the family does everything to defeat the disease. Both spouses undergo numerous surgeries to remove tumors. Jones had three tumors removed. The actor suspects that they were caused by numerous exits to the football field without protection from UV rays. Fortunately, both spouses manage to defeat such a dangerous disease and restore health.

The press became aware that the actor had an affair on the side - a Russian-speaking singer became his chosen one. The novel did not last long, the girl did not intend to arrange her personal life at the expense of the destruction of another family. But the fleeting relationship of the two stars was noticed by reporters from Russian and foreign media, photos of the artists hit the pages of popular tabloids.

Winnie's character often leads to him making scandals. At first it was brawls, fights and overly aggressive behavior on the football field, then in his personal life. He was caught for drunk driving, excessively defiant behavior in public and loud parties.

Repeatedly it came to calling the police and filing charges. Hot-tempered and formidable Vinnie was charged by the court for attacking a neighbor and causing him serious physical harm. He was also found guilty of violating the rules of passenger behavior during an air flight - then Vinnie not only got drunk and hit the passenger, but also threatened the pilot and his assistants. The actor paid a fine and worked 80 hours of community service.

Vinnie is not shy about his violent nature, boldly talks about the dirtiest football tricks and claims that he is not touched by criticism. He does not believe that his work has an invaluable contribution to culture or sports. Jones just does what he can.

The controversial Vinnie Jones would not be himself without noble deeds. With his participation, a social advertisement for the British Heart Foundation was created, in which Winnie, in the form of a “bad guy”, explains the principles of heart massage.

Vinnie Jones does not have his own Instagram, but photos with his favorite actor appear on the profiles of his fans.

Vinnie Jones now

Offers from film producers regularly come to a popular actor. Vinnie Jones has plenty to choose from. This is an action movie from The Mercenary: Absolution, and a fantasy film from The Cross. Part Two: Double Deception, and a crime thriller with Life Outside.

Vinnie Jones in The Cross Part Two: Double Deception

Now the artist's repertoire is ready to be replenished with the crime comedy "Systemic Madness" and the thriller "Hitman's List", in which Jones's participation is announced.

Filmography

• 1998 - "Cards, money, two barrels"
• 2000 - Gone in 60 Seconds
• 2000 - Big Jackpot
• 2001 - "Bone Breaker"
• 2004 - "The Big Steal"
• 2006 - "Strength and Honor"
• 2006 - "X-Men: The Last Stand"
• 2008 - Hell trip
• 2010 - Locked Up
• 2010 - The Irishman
• 2012 - "Freelancers"
• 2013 - Blood of Redemption
• 2014 - "Computer"
• 2015 - "In the grip"
• 2018 - "Cunning"

Vinnie Jones, good actor and former football player, and one of his most famous photographs:

Some people know Vinnie Jones for his roles in the films "Cards, Money, Two Smoking Barrels", "Bone Breaker", "Gone in 60 Seconds" and others. But before getting into the movies, Jones was a professional footballer. About how Winnie "patronized" the rising star of "Newcastle" Paul Gascoigne, knows, is ready to assume, any more or less interested English football Human. This episode of the match between Newcastle and Wimbledon in February 1988 became famous thanks to photojournalists, whose pictures were remembered much better than the outcome of the meeting. Gascoigne himself, who was also never a good boy, devoted several pages to describing what happened in his autobiography.

We had to play away with Wimbledon, which at that time was an extremely difficult opponent. Mainly thanks to three players - John Fashan, Dennis Wise and Vinnie Jones. The press described upcoming match like a duel between Jones - a tough guy who takes no prisoners - and me, a young talent with a lot of cunning tricks in store.

During the pre-match warm-up, the camera lenses were turned on me, and I, in turn, could not force myself not to look at Vinnie warming up on the opposite half of the field. Even from a distance, it seemed huge to me! I'm always nervous before a game, but this time I felt exhausted even before the starting whistle. Shortly after the start of the match, he came up and croaked in my ear:

My name is Vinnie Jones and I'll be around for the hell of a game. Do you understand me, fat man? Today it's just you and me!

I knew that experienced players often resort to such methods, especially when they get a young player like me as their opponent. But then the threat of Jones affected me in the most serious way. When I first touched the ball, he attacked me so that I flew into the air, must have been five feet. Until the very final whistle, he never left me alone for a second, except for one moment when he had to throw in the ball from out of bounds.
- I need to go away for a couple of seconds, but I'll be back, damn it, - Vinnie growled, going to the curb.

Our team got the right to "standard", and Vinnie and I stood in the penalty area, waiting for the filing. He was in front of me, suddenly pulled back his hand and, like a vise, squeezed my balls. I roared in pain and surprise. I think at that moment no one understood what really happened, especially since the ball flew to another place. But thanks to the photographers, the whole of England knew about it the very next day.