CONCERNS are growing for former Newcastle United and Middlesbrough footballer Paul Gascoigne after he failed to appear at a sportsman’s dinner leaving fans who paid between £65 and£150 for a ticket disappointed.

The ex-England midfielder from Gateshead was due to be the star attraction at the Marton Hotel and Country Club in Marton, Middlesbrough last night.

Instead comedian Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown and former Middlesbrough player Craig Hignett appeared at the last minute.

Gascoigne has had a well-publicised battle with alcoholism. He was in the news earlier this month when he admitted making racist comments to a staff member at another show in Wolverhampton.

Promoter Tony Robinson explained he paid £15,000 for the star to give a talk but only found out he definitely wouldn't be coming minutes before the show was due to start. He has refunded 350 people tickets which were priced at £65, £100 and £150.

Mr Robinson, of Pride and Respect Promotions, explained he saw Gascoigne a week ago in Sunderland and he; "just seemed perfect, so happy, not drinking or anything."

However Gascoigne's management informed the promoter last night that their star act had gone missing on Tyneside. They eventually found the former footballer but Gascoigne wouldn't get in the car.

Mr Robinson said: "It's like there's a gale blowing inside my head. My wife just said, 'get yourself out.' I can't think straight. I got the final word at 7.50pm. People were already inside.

"I'm so grateful to Roy and Higgy for coming to the rescue. They are both absolute legends. To do that right of the bat was amazing of them."

Roy Brown, who did a ten-minute spot, was reported explaining it was a tough act because; "people were bitterly disappointed," and just wanted to talk about Gascoigne not showing up. However he added: "I’m a Boro lad, that’s what we do, we help each other;” before adding that he felt sorry for Gascoigne. “He’s not the first and he won’t be the last whose career has been ruined by drink,” he said.

Gascoigne's agent, Terry Baker, said his client had been unable to attend for "personal reasons." He didn't expect to get to the bottom of what went wrong until after the weekend. He explained there was was often a problem with fans trying to buy Paul Gascoigne drinks and his management team have to keep him away from the punters at gigs for that reason. His client had 12 other bookings and Mr Baker has been contacted by all of them in the last day.
Gascoigne is due to deliver at talk at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 19.
Hall and Reynolds Promotions who are staging the show released a statement online which said: "Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne is under contract and will be attending our Newton Aycliffe event. People do not need to worry at all."
Some fans who missed out on the Marton Hotel show tried to contact Gascoigne directly on Twitter. Andy Crutchley posted on Gascoigne's site. He said: "Massive let down tonight in Boro you not turning up. It has cost a lot of hard working people a lot of had earned money."