Paul Gascoigne admitted to intensive care (From The Northern Echo)

George Best all over again , can see how this is likely to end

Come on Gazza, get well soon, we are all rooting for you x

although a gascoigne fan he has had enough sympathy come into the real world paul it will help you get through

I fear this story will not be the last of its kind. I wish Gazza well.

You take a talented kid from the local estate with amazing football skills, you put them into an articifical environment for their 15-20 year playing career. They are given everything they want; incomprehensible earnings, star treatment, celebrity attention, cars, girls, adoration, etc.

And then one day it ends - their playing career is over, the media circus and celebrity spotlight moves on to the next up-coming talent.

The more gifted, articulate and (let's be frank) intelligent, will go into coaching, media presenting, commentating, product sponsorship and advertising. But not all will have the life-skills, education, talent and emotional stability needed for this.

For many, tragically including Gazza, such opportunities might not come their way, or be suddenly taken away when they hit troubled waters. They find themselves totally out of their depth, struggling to find purpose and meaning in their lives. Lives which have been micro-managed for the last 20 years. They are ill prepared for life after football and to make that transition from teenage media celebrity to mature adult. 'Peter Pan has a reality check' - it's cruel, and for some it will have a tragic outcome.