On This Day – 19th March
It was on this day in 1998 that Paul Gascoigne left Glasgow Rangers and joined Middlesbrough for £3.4 million.
Rangers fans were quick to point out that five months prior, Gazza had said that he would never return to English football. When asked in an interview in November 1997 about a possible return to his home country, Gascoigne stated:
“Whatever happens, Rangers will be my last club in Britain. If I do leave Rangers, it won’t be for another club in Britain. I can’t see myself playing in the Premiership.”
Some bright spark at Middlesbrough decided to move Gascoigne in with Paul Merson. Carnage ensued and both players have some wild stories of their time together.
Gazza was out to try and work his way into Glenn Hoddle’s England squad for that summer’s World Cup in France. He managed to help Middlesbrough win promotion back to the Premiership but sadly didn’t make the cut for France ’98.
Gascoigne stayed at the Riverside for two years, scoring four goals in 41 appearances before joining Everton in the summer of 2000.
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