Paul Gascoigne, the legendary English footballer, carries a heavy burden. Now 58, he often thinks about a specific incident from 1996. This event, involving his then-wife Sheryl, stained his name. Rival fans never let him forget it. They called him a “woman abuser” for years. He describes it as a “dark shadow” that followed him.
Gascoigne shares more details in his new book. He played for Rangers in Scotland back then. The incident happened at a fancy hotel. It began as a small fight. “It was nothing more than a stupid argument in the restaurant,” he wrote.
But things got out of hand. Sheryl went to their room. Gascoigne followed right behind her. He recounted the moment. “I put my head against hers,” he explained. Then, “by instinct,” he pushed her. She fell hard to the floor. She hurt her hand badly and cried out in pain. This raw account comes from an excerpt shared by the English press.
Gascoigne also revealed his deeper feelings about the marriage itself. He admits he felt it was a mistake from the very beginning. The moment he exchanged vows with Sheryl, a sense of dread washed over him. “As soon as we said the vows, I knew I had made a mistake,” he confessed. He felt “trapped” in the union. His honesty shows the long-term impact of personal choices, echoing through his career and life.