Paul Gascoigne is one of the geatest players in Glasgow Rangers history and undoubtedbly one of the most entertaining footballers of all time.
‘Gazza’ joined the Gers from Lazio in 1995 and won the lot in his debut campaign at Ibrox, lifting the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup while being crowned the SFWA Player of the Year and PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
Perhaps his finest moment in a Blue shirt came against Aberdeen in that 1995-96 campaign, as a hat-trick at Ibrox which included a stunning solo goal sealed the league title.
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The following year is remembered for Gascoigne’s masterclass in the Scottish League Cup final against Hearts, as he scored twice in a 4-3 victory, and Ally McCoist recalls an argument with the match-winner that day: “The half-time whistle goes and we’re up the tunnel and we’re still at it the two of us, we’re in the dressing room and we’re still at it, so Walter Smith comes in and says: ‘Right, everybody shut up and calm down’.
“But Gascoigne is still raging and I can see Walter getting angrier and angrier. I’ve known Walter long enough by this point to just keep my mouth shut, but Gascoigne keeps going.
“Eventually Walter picks him up by the scruff of the neck and hangs him up on the peg where you put your coats and he says: ‘Paul, I will not tell you again to shut up!’”
He continued: “Eventually when it calmed down Gazza got up, went out of the dressing room and straight into the director’s room – in his gear by the way! – and had a whiskey.
“He threw it down his neck, came back into the dressing room, sat down, Walter did his team talk, he walked out for the second half and he scored two goals. He was unbelievable.”
McCoist and Gascoigne played with some incredible names during that era – perhaps no surprise given they won nine straight league titles – from Richard Gough to Brian Laudrup, and Gazza has revealed it was the Dane who blew teammates away in training.
Gascoigne: Laudrup was 'one of the best players in the world'
Speaking about his greatest teammates, Gascoigne named EURO 1992 winner Laudrup as a ‘match-winner’ who was ‘virtually untouchable’ both in games and on the training ground.
“Brian Laudrup was an amazing player. Even in training if you knew exactly what Brian was about to do, you could never stop him.
“I played with him at Rangers and in his prime he was one of the best players in the world. He glided with the ball in a way that made him virtually untouchable for opponents and he was a match-winner, who had great technique when striking the ball.
“He was also a great entertainer – on and off the pitch! A tremendous natural talent.”
Laudrup won three titles in four seasons at Glasgow, while both he and his brother are widely regarded as two of Denmark’s greatest ever players.
1994/95
49
16
1995/96
40
10
1996/97
48
23
1997/98
42
7
Even in a team stacked full of big names, his elegance, quick feet and creativity stood out like a sore thumb.
