Paul Gascoigne to open Lutterworth football stand
- Published
Paul Gascoigne is one of England's most recognisable and celebrated footballers
England legend Paul Gascoigne is to open a new stand at a Leicestershire football club - despite concerns about his health during a TV appearance.
Some Soccer AM viewers thought the 51-year-old seemed drunk, but on Twitter he insisted he was just feeling the effects of sleeping tablets.
The former footballer will open the new stand at Lutterworth Town FC just before kick-off at 15:00 BST.
He has donated his £5,000 fee back to the football club.
Gascoigne's tweet included "some say I'm looking well" and "others are saying I was drunk".
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Chairman Andy Dixon said the former Tottenham and England midfielder is currently living in Leicestershire with his manager and wanted to support grassroots football.
"He will be here signing autographs and posing for photographs, and we're expecting it to bring in a fair few hundred people," said Mr Dixon.
The new 50-seater stand arrived ready-assembled and took just one man and his crane an hour-and-a-half to place into position.
The match is an FA Cup game against Heanor Town FC.
The new 50-seater stand cost Lutterworth Town FC £15,000, with £9,000 coming from the Football Foundation
Gascoigne, one of England's most recognisable and celebrated footballers, has been open about his struggle with alcoholism in the past.
In January last year his agent said he had gone into rehabilitation to "get free of his demons".
His Soccer AM appearance on Saturday morning was cut short after 45 minutes, and when he failed to reappear the show informed viewers he was "not feeling wonderful".
He later tweeted, external to explain he had been taking sleeping tablets "to try kip".
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