Gazza at Everton

[Tommy.]

Got his autograph outisde Goodison after we battered Newcastle one year. The bloke who was ordering the food for the coach on the way home came upto him and gave him 3 choices for his meal on the way home and he said yes, I'll have all 3.

People who think he's over rated probably think David Beckham was world class. I even went to a Tranmere v Chester 0-0 draw in some nothing cup game so I could get a voucher for the Tranmere v Spurs cup game and watch Gazza close up. Brilliant player.

Good post, mate. Gazza was a truly gifted, wonderful footballer, an absolute joy to watch.
Him and probably Glenn Hoddle were quite unique for their time as they held a technique and vision that weren't usually blessed to British players. The thing about Gazza is that whilst he had that beautiful technique, he also had the tenacity and aggression that was a requirement of great English footballers of that time.
If he was in his pomp today he would be in the bracket behind Messi and Ronaldo, rubbing shoulders with Neymar et al. Anyone who says he's overrated just don't get football and probably sit in the Brick shouting to any unfortunate who will listen about how they knew Alexandersson was crap before we signed him.

 

[Wedgy01]

Coming to Everton was Uncle Walter putting an arm around him. There was far worse than Gascoigne masquerading in royal blue around that time. He used to stay behind and do a bit with the youngsters at Bellefield too at their tea time sessions

 

[Liamliverpool86]

Gave my dad £20 and a autographed note for me cos he said it was my birthday

defo one of the best talents this country had

 

[blue1948]

You mean like the way Ferguson,
1) Kept control of Ryan Gigg's personal life and stopped him shagging he's brothers wife after training?
2) Controlled Eric Cantana so well he didn't Kung fu kick a fan in the stands?
3) Controled Rio Ferdinand so well he didn't do a runner from a drugs test that got him a 8 month ban?
4) Kept control of he's own emotions so well that in a dressing room, he didn't throw a boot at he's own player that needed stitches in a facial cut?
5) The same great Sir Alex who caused a big rift in the dressing room when he was insisting that, when current players signed an extension to their contracts, they had to get rid of their current agent and sign up with Ferguson's son who would then get all the commission?
I could go on..........

You missed when he told Kanchelskis "to get in line for his food "because a year ago he would have had to queue for it -or on those lines -as far as I recall it was why he came to us

 

[Connor mcloud]

When he was at Goodison he stayed in the Redbourne hotel in Woolton, my lad was on work experience there at the time Gazza used to send him down the supermarket to buy bottles of Bacardi breezers, he also got the kitchen staff to hide bottles of wine in the kitchen for him. Gazza and fivebellies were always bladdered and he was a big tipper to the staff so they all loved him, but for some reason the male staff would get a £20 tip and the females a tenner,go figure.

 

[Lloydystark]

Love him

 

[Eggs]

.....magnificent footballer until injuries and lifestyle resulted in him having brittle legs.

Very sad that he didn’t have the mentality to cope, but football is like any other occupation. I considered his time with us a bit of a gimmick, possibly at the whim of Bill Kenwright.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

I always had a soft spot for Paul, felt sorry for him, that is until I read his autobiography, what a really thick ignorant fella he was with the emphasis on ignorant, he did things HE thought were funny, not to most people with any sense. If you’ve read the book and disagree I’d be very surprised.

I agree and I don't do addictions very well so he will always be on to a loser with me.
His mental health is very seperate issue entirely, however, as usual with people who don't actually want to change for various reasons always link it to their addiction. I would rather he had not played for us as he was fully wrapped up in his alcohol addiction

 

[Bruce Wayne]

If he was in his pomp today he would be in the bracket behind Messi and Ronaldo, rubbing shoulders with Neymar et al.

No way would he be in that bracket. If you think back to just the best midfielders from Italia 90: Dragan Stojkovic, Matthaus, Hagi, Laudrup, Scifo, Francescoli and that's before you get into the likes of Boban, Savicevic, Zidane, Prosinecki et al from later in the 90s. All of them had better careers than Gazza who only ever produced consistent performances in the second rank league in Scotland.

9 league goals in his debut season was his best ever return (in a decent league). For an attacking midfielder who often took set pieces, that's crap. In 93/94, David Platt 9 goals in 29 games for Sampdoria. Gazza 2 in 17 for Lazio. In his time at Lazio, he was consistently outperformed by Aron Winter. Proper worldie

Messi and Ronaldo are the best players because they work their arse off, which is why both went away from Rooney the way they did. Gazza was never doing that, and ended up with a middling career, with far less talented players like Platt and Waddle doing more than him.

 

[Walken]

His most significant contribution might be that Gazetta Football Italia wouldn't have happened has he not gone to Italy, at least so they say

 

[royalblue66]

.....magnificent footballer until injuries and lifestyle resulted in him having brittle legs.

Very sad that he didn’t have the mentality to cope, but football is like any other occupation. I considered his time with us a bit of a gimmick, possibly at the whim of Bill Kenwright.

Makes me wonder what the overall plan was (if any) bringing him to Everton.

 

[phil_t98]

Makes me wonder what the overall plan was (if any) bringing him to Everton.

He could still play when he played for us, some of the games were amazing. He also brought high profile name and that’s a shirt seller

 

[Eggs]

Makes me wonder what the overall plan was (if any) bringing him to Everton.

....I find it hard to believe it was anything to do with a playing strategy. More likely, it was a Kenwright folly to raise the clubs profile. I seem to recall Kenwright saying he just wanted to look down from his seat and “see Gazza wearing an Everton shirt.”

I was at Bellefield a fair bit in those days and remember him with his arm in a plaster cast talking to one of the Directors wives. I felt he was physically and mentally frail at that stage of his career and I never really consider the likes of Gascoigne and Ginolla being ex-Everton players.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

But you did say Ferguson would have been better for him personally than going to Spurs.

United would have been a better, environment for Gazza.He would have joined a side, that was about to dominate english football.He would have been in the company of players, who applied themselves properly etc.Being part of a winning culture, a culture of doing things and preparing properly, would have made a massive difference to his career.

 

[COYBL25]

When he was at Goodison he stayed in the Redbourne hotel in Woolton, my lad was on work experience there at the time Gazza used to send him down the supermarket to buy bottles of Bacardi breezers, he also got the kitchen staff to hide bottles of wine in the kitchen for him. Gazza and fivebellies were always bladdered and he was a big tipper to the staff so they all loved him, but for some reason the male staff would get a £20 tip and the females a tenner,go figure.

All true, I knew the family who owned the hotel at the time.

He also used to go and play pool with anyone who’d play with him in the English Rose, just down the road from the hotel.

He’d always have a pint of orange on the go, which had about 8 vodkas in it.

For some bizarre reason he also did this in the Fox in Speke.