FANGS FOR THE MEMORIES
The nation had a bad case of toothache but Gazza’s wonder goal and iconic dentist’s chair celebration put smiles back on faces
PAUL GASCOIGNE scored a goal that lit up Wembley, and won back his place in English hearts.
It was a goal Gazza needed after a far-from-perfect buildup to Euro 96.
There had been widespread criticism of his and the England team’s behaviour in a pre-tournament bonding trip. Pictures had emerged of some of the players in the infamous dentist’s-chair booze-up in a Hong Kong bar and many were outraged.
In addition, the plane home had been damaged and there was a growing fear that England were ill prepared for a major tournament on home soil. But in the wake of his goal to seal this game, and his mocking ‘dentist’s-chair’ celebration seconds later, all was forgiven, even by Piers Morgan, editor of the Daily Mirror and a fan of Arsenal, north London rivals to Gascoigne’s former club Tottenham.
“Mr Paul Gascoigne: An Apology,” read Morgan’s Mirror editorial 48 hours after this 2-0 win had got England’s campaign up and running following a sluggish 1-1 start against Switzerland.
And after that goal and that celebration – Teddy Sheringham reliving their Hong Kong bender with a water bottle as Gascoigne lay on his back in jubilation – pretty much anything he did was excused.
Gascoigne – ironically earning his living in Scotland at the time at Rangers - was superb against the Scots but so was David Seaman, who won the man-of-the-match for an excellent display with the gloves. He made a superb save from Gordon Durie’s header before denying Gary Mcallister from the spot.
Alan Shearer scored the opener for an England team that fielded a certain Gareth Southgate alongside Tony Adams at centre-back.
But it was Gascoigne who grabbed headlines with a goal that is still remembered 25 years later.
Darren Anderton would be credited with the assist but his flick which sent Gascoigne through was nominal involvement. The goal, however, was Gazza at his best.
The man whose tears had moved the nation at Italia 90 chipped the ball over an offbalance Colin Hendry with his left foot and hammered home a volley with his right foot (below) that beat Andy Goram at his near post.
England had already retreated into a seige mentality under Terry Venables, who had announced he was to stand down at the end of the tournament.
But it was Gascoigne’s spark that won back the affection of the nation, and England rode the wave all the way to the semi-final, where they lost to Germany.