Paul Gascoigne is the most naturally gifted English midfielder of his generation. Yet as he approaches his late thirties, he has become something of a sorry figure, a man who has failed to fulfil his potential. This authoritative biography of a footballing genius seeks to explain why Gascoigne has never been able to defeat his demons. Gascoigne has always been a footballer whom the media have been quick to criticise and slow to understand. His off-the-pitch activities usually generate more column inches than any flashes of brilliance on the pitch but Gazza is something more than a tabloid buffoon. At his best, he is a compelling confirmation of the reason millions of fans still go to football matches every week to see the sublime skill and magical improvisation that makes the heart beat faster. By talking to the coaches who tried to guide Gascoigne's talent, and the mentors who have influenced him, author Paul Simpson here attempts to redress the balance by focusing on the one reason we still care about Gazza - his football. Daft as a brush, endearing, irritating and inspiring, as a footballer he has defined our nation for over a decade. We cried with him in Turin, laughed with him in the Indian summer of Euro 96 and, nervously, watched as he has tried a succession of comebacks as far afield as China to prove to himself and others that he still has it in him.