Paul Gascoigne scores a great late goal with the story of his life, says Matthew Woodcock.

WAYNE Rooney take note. The story of Paul Gascoigne should be compulsory reading for any footballer with a hint of genius in their boots.

This painfully honest, but compelling, autobiography leaves no stone unturned in its telling of the story of one of the most extraordinary English players of his generation.

The contrasts in his personality, from the prankster who could do practically anything with a football, to the drunken wife beater wracked by psychological demons, are startling.

Gazza does not shy away from telling us in graphic detail about the mental illnesses that have plagued him throughout his life, from depression, to obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks and nervous twitches. His life oozed excess right from when he stuffed his face with cakes following training sessions at his first club, Newcastle United.

Drinking was his worst vice and he admits to needing swigs of brandy before matches, particularly later on in his career. It was how he coped with the torments in his mind, but ultimately led to his "biggest regret", beating up his wife Sheryl, from whom he is now divorced.

But the book is far from all doom and gloom.

His career, predominantly taking in Newcastle, Spurs, Lazio, Glasgow Rangers and England, threw up some of the most memorable football moments in the past 15 years. Gazza lovingly recalls his 30-yard free kick in the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, his tears in Italia 90 which led to "Gazzamania" and his astonishing volley against the Scots in Euro 96.

In a career dogged by severe injuries, he says he "fulfilled his dreams but not his potential", which is a fair assessment.

The laughs and the pranks get full disclosure, with his long-suffering best friend Jimmy "five bellies" Gardner suffering the brunt. He was once violently ill after discovering that a mince pie Gazza gave him to eat was stuffed with... on second thoughts, perhaps we'd better not go there.

At the end of each chapter, the book is peppered with wonderful quotes about the Gateshead-born player, both good and bad, from all manner of sources.

A particularly memorable one from an Adidas spokesman on the perils of signing him for a sponsorship deal reads: "If he farts in front of the Queen, we get blemished". His chairman at Newcastle in 1988, Stan Seymour, called him "George Best without brains".

But unlike Best, Gazza says he is beating the battle against the bottle, after being treated in an Arizona clinic.

Long may it continue.

Gazza: My Story, by Paul Gascoigne with Hunter Davies, is published by Headline, priced £18.99.

Updated: 09:37 Wednesday, June 30, 2004