Paul GASCOIGNE

Growing up in the back streets of Gateshead the young Paul Gascoigne had one dream - to play for Newcastle United. Despite many off the field scrapes as an apprentice (and as many final warnings) it was not long before the chubby, loveable lad was given the opportunity. As captain and star of the youth team that won the 1984/85 FA Youth Cup, he was attracting increasingly vociferous calls in the local media for him to be included in the first team. Jackie Milburn, no less, described him as a 'genius'. Jack Charlton finally selected him on the bench against local rivals Sunderland at the end of the 1984/85 season, however, it would be in a 1-0 win over QPR on April 13th 1985 where Paul would make his first team bow. Replacing the goal scorer George Reilly, the 17 year-old Gazza immediately showed his enthusiasm for the game, he wanted to be involved in everything, even managing to score; only for the referee to disallow the goal.

The close season saw Paul offered his first professional contract, which he signed without hesitation, the departures of Chris Waddle and Jack Charlton effectively saw Paul become a first team regular. It was caretaker manager Willie McFaul who gave him is first start, in the 1985/86 curtain raiser against Southampton at St. James Park, a 1-1 draw. Gascoigne lived for having the ball at his feet and, often with his team-mates screaming at him to pass, would try to beat everyone at every opportunity. Playing alongside seasoned pro's such as Glenn Roeder, David McCreery and Peter Beardsley the youngster thrived and it would not be long before his impressive array of skills became evident. He possessed outstanding vision, excellent dribbling skills, and his passing and shooting were exemplary. Gascoigne was close to being the complete midfielder and once established in the team his powerful runs from midfield would become his trademark.

Paul's first goal for The Magpies came at home against Oxford Utd and he ended the season with a more than creditable 9 goals in 31 league games. As Gascoigne's reputation grew, he regularly ended up on the wrong end of some rough treatment and during the late season 4-1 home victory over Birmingham City, his petulant side became evident. After being kicked from pillar to post for seemingly the entire game, he finally snapped and punched Robert Hopkin (the main offender) in plain view of the referee, who promptly sent him off. Despite this aberration, his understanding with Peter Beardsley helped haul an otherwise average team into 11th place in Division One and it looked as though the two stars would form the backbone of a new side at St. James Park. (Gordon Tait).

Despite predictions, from many experts, of impending doom on Tyneside, the 1986/87 season was greeted with anticipation by the Newcastle fans. The continued impressive form of Paul Gascogine, allied to Peter Beardsley's splendid displays at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, being the reasons for this. However, they would fail to emulate their previous 11th place, and Gascoigne had a season which was curtailed through injury and, inevitably, suspension, playing just 24 games and scoring 5 goals as Newcastle finished a lowly 17th, just five points above the relegation zone. The end of the season saw the departure of Peter Beardsley and Gascoigne receive his first international honours, when he was selected for England's Under-21 side. Beardsley's replacement Mirandinha, the first Brazilian to play in the English First Division, went some way to appease the fans. Paul, selflessly, took it upon himself to act as Mirandinha's English teacher and as a result a stream of expletives from the confused Brazilian would spring from the simplest of questions!

On the pitch Gascoigne's relationship with Mirandinha was less entertaining. The Brazilian seemingly failed to anticipate Gazza's play, resulting in Paul spraying glorious passes to no-one or passing to Mirandinha when he was surrounded by opposing players. But without doubt Gascoigne's star was in the ascent and as the main threat in the Newcastle team Gazza came in for some 'special treatment'. His clash with Wimbledon's Vinnie Jones at Plough Lane is now legendary, as one photographer captured the famous image of Jones manhandling Gascoigne in a delicate area of his anatomy, the two players becoming stars almost overnight. Gazza led a motley crew of young lads and seasoned pro's to an 8th place finish to the 1987/88 season, their best position since the 1984 promotion. Paul himself contributed 7 goals in 35 league games, which earned him the 1988 PFA Young Player of the Year award. Yet, like Beardsley and Waddle before him, his ambitions far outstripped those of the club and he turned down a contract extension. Wanting to join Liverpool and turning down Alex Ferguson, he eventually signed for Tottenham for a British record of £2,000 000.

The fixture compilers for the 1988/89 season could have been kinder to the young Gascoigne as his return to St. James Park was to be Newcastle's first home game of the season. The fan's frustration at the sale of their local heroes (Waddle, Beardsley and Gascoigne) spilled out and their anger was directed at Gazza. He was pelted with Mars Bars and abuse every time he got the ball. Some, more malevolent fans, hurled rocks concealed in Mars Bar wrappers at their former player. But Gazza was on the verge of superstardom and Newcastle would be relegated long before the season ended. (Gordon Tait)