Former England star Paul Gascoigne revealed his
heart stopped three times while in rehab in a Sky News interview
being broadcast on Monday.
Gazza told Sky News presenter Kay Burley that last year's
sudden rumours that he had died were closer to the truth than the
public realised.
He said: "My heart failed on us a few times," adding that his
father John had collapsed with worry at his illness.
Gascoigne has endured a love-hate relationship with the British
public, a brilliant footballer whose career was marred by alcohol
and violence towards his ex-wife Cheryl.
Addressing the attack he said: "If you are sitting in a
restaurant and somebody calls your mum a w****, which she did, and
for no reason, I don't like that and yes, I got a hold of her arms
and I did put my head against her head, I didn't head butt her but
I threw her to the floor and yes I was disgusted with myself for
what I did.
"I went to therapy; I sat with 15-20 women and told them exactly
what I did. I got punched off a few women for doing what I did but
I took the punches and I accepted it, I got hammered but I went
through this course and it is the one thing I ever did in my life
and that was it and I get hammered for it."
In a startlingly frank admission he says he feels "used" by his
son Regan.
He said: "I have drove down to be with my son and he takes us to
the school and shows them obviously this is my dad, and I went to
assembly and then I sign everything for the kids, and then see,
that is it proved to everyone that I am his dad, sort of thing and
then he goes back home and that leaves me, I don't know, I feel
like I am being used by my own son here."
The interview, in the company of his father, sister Lindsay and
two young nephews shows the ex-Newcastle and Tottenham player
having a kickabout on the beach.
He proudly declares: "No-one is ever going to be as good as I
was."
The player is visibly moved when both the youngsters say he is
their favourite ever player.
He said: "The kids have been scared, they have been scared of
us, you know, coming round the house and that, the way I was and in
the state I was in, but coming to the beach and playing football is
brilliant."
Gascoigne has had a well-publicised battle with alcohol, and
admits that only four months ago he was drinking 30 cans of Special
Brew (strong lager) per day.
In reference to his religious beliefs he says: "I just thank him
for today you know, if I don't drink I just say thanks, thanks for
not letting me have a drink today."
But Gascoigne says he can be around alcohol without giving in to
temptation.
"I can be around it now because all I have got to do is remember
my last drink. If I remember my last drink, which I can't, well I
sort of can, getting fed with a spoon because I had the shakes that
bad."
He also describes his suicide attempt.
"In the bath yes, it's the easy way out they say, you know, take
a few sleeping tablets, nice little warm bath and have a few drinks
and just drop. I had just had enough, I had had enough of
everything, you know."
Gascoigne continues: "I rang my sister just to say, I am going
to run a bath. I think she might have had a clue, I don't know if
it was a plea for help but I did have enough anyway so I wasn't
bothered.
"And I just said, look I am in the bath and I will always love
you, or something like that, and put the phone down, and I run the
bath and I lay in the bath and just felt myself dropping off and I
remember just getting ready, like dozing off you know and then the
police burst in. About six police dragged us out of the bath."