RANGERS legend Paul Gascoigne has revealed he once drank NINE brandies at half-time of a League Cup final – then scored two goals in the second half.
The Rangers icon, now 58, bravely opened up on his battle with alcohol addiction in an emotional TV interview.
In the very honest chat about his struggles, Gascoigne had to gather himself several times and apologised for his swearing as he detailed his struggles with mental health.
Gers fan favourite Gazza spoke to GMB presenter Richard Madeley about his various ordeals with alcohol and how it took over his life.
The former England midfielder was quizzed on his drinking before and during matches when he revealed the story live on TV.
He said: “Yeah it was half-time. It was in the cup final.
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“The manager asked if I’d had a drink and I said no. And he went ‘go and get one’.
“So I had nine brandies and went out and I scored two in the cup final… got man of the match.
“But I wasn’t allowed to the after-dinner party because I’d already had my drinks at half-time!”
When asked if it affected the way he played, Gazza joked: “It made me play better I think.”
It’s believed the match Gazza was talking about was the 1996 League Cup final against Hearts at Celtic Park.
The Rangers legend was named Man of the Match after scoring two goals in just three minutes in the second half to bring another trophy back to Ibrox.
Gascoigne was brought in as a guest to the GMB studio to promote his new book Eight.
His latest book talks about all of the most traumatic moments in his life, including the heartbreaking moment he held his friend’s dying brother – who just eight at the time – after the youngster was hit by a car.
He said: “His younger brother wouldn’t go to the boys club and I said I’d look after him and make sure he’s okay.
“We left the shop and I said ‘quick let’s go’, and he ran in front of us just one yard and a car just hit him.
“I ran down and he died in me lap. I thought he was still alive because his lip was moving a bit.
“I thought ‘he’s okay, he’s breathing still’, but he wasn’t. That was his last movement.”
He went on to describe picking up the “freezing” body out of his coffin.
An emotional Gazza added: “I picked him up out of his coffin at only ten.
“I remember him being freezing. When the coffin left I went and stayed with him in that same room for a week.
“I was staying in the same room as a coffin. It was horrific. That hit me for a hell of a lot.
“Me mam took us to see a psychiatrist when I was just ten because I ended up with noises and twitches.
“It wasn’t until I really started getting involved with football that it took my mind off it.”
He also revealed he didn’t speak to his mum and dad for three months due to his alcohol and drug use.
That “destroyed” him, he says.
He continued: “I fell out with mam and dad for three months. That destroyed us.
“That destroyed us. Then the drugs took hold of us. It was only ’til me dad got me sectioned.”
But he explained how getting sectioned turned out to be “one of the best things” that ever happened to him.
Throughout the interview, Madeley apologised for Gazza’s language before saying both he and co-host Susanna Reid understood why he was emotional.
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Gascoigne signed for Rangers in 1995 and spent three years with the club, quickly becoming a fans’ favourite as he helped them win a record-equalling nine in a row league titles.
In his debut season, he was voted Scottish player of the year and also had memorable moments playing for England, including a goal against Scotland.
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