By Shaun Murphy-
Paul Gascoigne thrilled a Teesside children’s football team after showing up to watch them play.
Stockton Town Under 11 Royals football squad were thrilled to on Sunday to have Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne appear as a special guest to watch their lower league tournament game against Mount Pleasant Rangers, The Eye Of Media has heard.
The game was being held at Hummersknott Academy in Darlington and the former England mid-fielder was there to give them some support.
Coach Callum Croft was oblivious of plans for the star to attend the game, and said ‘he couldn’t believe it’ when he was told of the iconic player’s arrival. He added that Gazza being there was an ‘honour and gave an extra boost to the spirit of the players’ on game day.
The 56-year-old happens to be friends with the parents of one of the player’s and turned up to cheer the youngster on.
Coach Croft said: “We didn’t know that Gazza was coming, he’s friends with one of the players parents and I couldn’t believe it when I was told he had arrived. For me personally it was an honour and gave an extra boost to the spirit of the players, coach’s and parents, a real compliment to the group to have a legend of the game come to see our team.”
Fans of the sporting national hero of the 90’s were excited to have Gazza in their presence.
Their coach added: “The experience the team took from both on and off the pitch along with meeting Gazza is one I’m sure none of us will forget anytime soon and will inspire the team to continue their development.”
Not much was said about how Gazza’s drunken lifestyle could affect the children’s perception of alcohol, if no mention was made.