%202.png)
.png)
His hands shaking so much he can barely keep the microphone in front of his mouth, Paul Gascoigne does his best to entertain his fans.
But it is a sight likely to leave most of them weeping for him rather than laughing at his anecdotes.
In a video of a personal appearance last week by the 45-year-old former England star, he repeatedly holds his head in apparent despair and his speech is barely coherent.
Scroll down for video
Desperate: Paul Gascoigne looked bloated, emotional and in need of help at an event in Northampton
Support: Gascoigne was out and about in Bournemouth on Monday
It seems his long-term battles with alcohol and drug abuse may not be over – and that his descent from national idol to grim drunken loneliness is continuing.
After the video emerged, more evidence of his lonely existence was clear at his £1,600 a month rented three bed flat in Bournemouth.
Over the weekend, Gascoigne emerged several times, taking minicabs to buy beer from a newsagent or to cruise the streets, seemingly aimlessly.
Despite growing concern over his physical and mental health, the fallen footballer, who starred for Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers as well as playing 57 times for his country, was apparently alone.
Gascoigne’s shambolic public appearance was caught on video in front of a crowd of 500 at ‘An evening with Paul Gascoigne’ at the Park Inn hotel in Northampton on Thursday.
Hard to watch: Gascoigne's performance, where he shook and slurred his words, shocked fans
Concerns: Gascoigne's agent fears for the former midfielder's life after he started drinking again
Audience members watched as he mumbled stories and swore repeatedly in response to questions from his agent Terry Baker, who was interviewing him for the benefit of the audience.
Gascoigne began by announcing: ‘I’ve had a f****** hard month. F****** hell.’
He also seemed to sob, and repeatedly raised his hand to his face. While holding the microphone with his right hand it shook so uncontrollably that he had to steady it with his left.
At one stage Gascoigne mumbled ‘I’ve been on a whisky diet’ and one onlooker said he seemed to be ‘dying in front of our eyes’.
Baker admitted Gascoigne had drunk at least two cans and a bottle of lager before the event and the agent believes the former star’s life is in danger since he started drinking again.
Looking lost: Gascoigne on the balcony of his seaside flat on the south coast
The shocking pictures were published in the week England take on Brazil at Wembley as part of the FA's 150th anniversary.
Gascoigne, like all England players with 35 caps or more, is invited to the match. He was also invited to the Connaught Rooms in London last month as the governing body launched the celebrations but he did not take up the offer.
Gascoigne has spoken about alcoholism problems in the past and was sectioned five years ago under the Mental Health Act.
Baker told BBC 5 Live: 'He won’t thank me for saying but he needs to immediately get help.
‘Whatever’s happened to him in the five or six weeks since I saw him before Christmas, he is not as well as he has been.
Midfield masterclass: Gascoigne was brilliant for England at the 1990 World Cup in Italy
Unhappy ending: Gascoigne in tears in the semi-final against West Germany was THE image of Italia 90 - he picked up a booking which would have ruled him out the final... before England lost on penalties anyway
Distraught: The card that signalled the end of Gazza's dream of appearing in a World Cup final
Arm round the shoulder: The late Bobby Robson - England boss in 1990 - was a huge influence on Gascoigne
Next, the morning beer run
Gascoigne's battle with alcohol seemed all too apparent at the weekend.
On Saturday morning he was seen buying six cans of lager in a newsagents before going to a pub.
Yesterday he took two apparently aimless cab rides – throwing a can of lager out of the vehicle on one trip.
He was later seen urinating on the balcony of his flat.
‘He’s been absolutely fine, he really has, and now he isn’t. But I think he knows that.
‘His life is always in danger because he is an alcoholic. Maybe no-one can save him - I don’t know. I really don’t know.’
Gary Lineker admits he is struggling to see a positive outcome for Gascoigne, his former England and Tottenham team-mate.
Lineker, who played with Gascoigne at the 1990 World Cup, wrote on Twitter: 'Lots of you asking for my thoughts on Gazza's plight. I can only hope he finds peace somehow, but fear those hopes may be forlorn.'
PFA chief Gordon Taylor fears Gascoigne could be heading the same way as George Best - but vowed that his organisation would not be giving up on the troubled ex-England midfielder.
'We have tried to support him throughout all his problems with rehabilitation at various clinics, with medical help,' Taylor said.
'We are in regular touch with him and have been again.
'We go one step forward and two back at times and this is just the situation.
'If we are not careful, it is going to be akin to George Best.
'It is unfortunate, but we try to keep going.'
Dentist chair: Gazza's infamous celebration came after he scored against Scotland at Euro 96
And former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel had earlier called on the PFA to step up and help the ex-Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers playmaker.
Referring to The Sun's video of Gascoigne, Schmeichel wrote on Twitter: 'This is not fun watching. Gazza needs help. Come on PFA & (chief executive) Gordon Taylor, time to step up.
‘We are all responsible for how we live our lives. But that doesn’t mean we can’t step in and help, and I think the footballing community, as the family we at times claim to be, must do more to help Gazza and others like him.
‘Instead of getting great deals on cars and other luxury goods for members, PFA should commit more time and funds to help the like of Gazza.
‘So what if he’s had help before and has messed it up, does that mean that we just give up on him?
Old friends: Lineker and Gascoigne played together for Tottenham and England
Adored: Gascoigne was cheered by Spurs and Lazio fans when his two former sides met last year
‘What really gets me here is people. Everyone close to him was looked after by him. Now he’s abandoned by the lot and in many ways they helped him becoming what he is today. He needs help, they should be there to provide that for him, regardless.
'Ok maybe it’s now becoming political. But we have a very wealthy PFA, the whole idea of PFA is to look after the interest of members.
'Members are high-profile people, often very young, living in a world with dangers and temptations that are no good for their profession.
Weeping: Gascoigne at the funeral of Sir Bobby Robson
'PFAs job has to be protection from all this, make them better pros, and if they get into trouble, help and support them so they can get out
'Like most I real about footballers in trouble one way or another, but I also know from the inside that the public only know a fraction of it and in all this I never mentioned The FA, UEFA or FIFA....!'
Taylor said: 'I can't think of a player who has had more support and constant help over the number of years that we have been there for Paul.
'It is quite ironic - it is nice that people like Peter Schmeichel care about him, but they don't appreciate the work we have done for him, a lot of which has to be confidential.
Better days: Paul Gascoigne seemed to be in better health before Christmas
Hard times: Gascoigne has battled with drink since quitting football
'If anything, I have been criticised at times for keeping faith and trying to keep going with him.'
Having spoken today with Gascoigne, who he says believes he can 'get back on track', Taylor has emphasised how important the former Three Lions star's role will be in any recovery he makes.
'I offered all our help that he needs,' Taylor said.
'It is just sometimes, it is down to the individual - it is down to him, and he just knows we are here for him whenever he needs us. We are not going to give up on him.
'He still feels he is capable of getting back on track and it is a relapse he has had.
Call for help: Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has called on The PFA to help Gascoigne
Hitting back: Taylor says he has done all he can to help Gascoigne
'I can only say, whatever help he needs, he must come on (board) and we will help to provide it.
'I think he does need specialist care and a very strong 24-hour support system, but again, it needs him to be part of that.'
Meanwhile, Baker said he hadn't witnessed the former footballer drink alcohol in two years.
He added: 'I swear to you I have never seen Paul drink in all the time I've known him, until very, very recently.
'He has definitely been clean for most of the last two years, absolutely for definite. And he has made huge massive efforts to get his life on track and it's just gone a bit wrong at the moment.'
Another Newcastle favourite, former striker Alan Shearer, said in The Sun: '‘He has my number and knows he can ring me literally at any time. This is a problem beyond football, he is ill, he has a major problem with alcohol, and being given a job with the Newcastle youth team for instance, will not suddenly make him better.
'He needs to seek help again, and try again, and keep trying. The pictures we have seen this week are sad — but we can see pictures of a beaming Gazza again.'
GASCOIGNE’S PROBLEMS WITH ALCOHOL
June 1996: An alcohol-related 'dentist-chair' stunt in a Hong Kong bar during England's Euro 96 preparations puts Gascoigne on the front pages of the newspapers back in Britain.
August 1998: Gascoigne's marriage to Sheryl ends after she is granted a quick divorce. The player left his wife with a black eye and badly bruised face and arm after he attacked her in a drunken rage in Gleneagles, Scotland.
October 1998: The 31-year-old is admitted to the Marchwood Priory hospital to receive treatment for stress and drink problems.
June 2001: Gascoigne admits himself to an alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Arizona on his Everton manager Walter Smith's insistence.
May 2007: Undergoes emergency surgery for a perforated stomach ulcer.
February 2008: Gascoigne is arrested in Newcastle and detained under the Mental Health Act.
June 2008: The former England footballer is sectioned under the Mental Health Act following reports that he was acting strangely in Hemel Hempstead.
