Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
VINNIE JONES’ GRIEF FOR WIFE I talk to my Tanya every day..it’d hurt her if I hit the booze
campaign for Alpro oat drink, re-creating the famous dairy milk moustache he did in 2010.
He says: “I’m massively into conservation and nature, especially the British countryside. Going forward plant-based food is where we’ve got to be. There are some lovely vegan foods out there. It’s a good way to go, for the environment and a healthier lifestyle.”
Will people be surprised that Vinnie is advocating veganism? “What do they want me to do, put Guinness on my cereals and coffee?
“I do love a steak, though. It’s probably my favourite meal.”
Vinnie is also about to launch a memoir about his struggle with bereavement, Lost Without You.
He was 12 when he met Tanya, going on to date in their teens. They reconnected when he joined Chelsea and married in Watford in 1994.
Tanya had a daughter, Kaley, and the couple had a son, Aaron. Their marriage survived his booze battle, including slapping a passenger and threatening to murder the cabin crew during a drunken air rage incident, and kissing a woman, which led him to seek help for alcohol addiction.
He once said of his devoted wife, who had a heart transplant at the age of 21: “I take my strength from Tanya. She believes her life was saved to save me and in return, I feel it is my role to look after her. Goodness knows where I’d be without her.”
In 2013 Vinnie revealed both he and Tanya had melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
They beat it, but Tanya’s cancer returned.
The star hopes his book will help other people grieving loved ones. He says: “It’s about the grief, as well as a celebration of my wife’s life and values. I wrote it to help other men who are dealing with grief, and with drug and alcohol addiction.
“Guys, you’ve got to look after yourselves, release stuff out of you. I hope that guys will see that it’s OK to let their emotions out, it’s a good way of dealing with it, you can’t bottle it up. Hopefully they will say, wow, if Vinnie can express himself, then I can too.” He got his reputation as a baddie during his 15 years in football, notably for leading Wimbledon’s FA Cup-winning “Crazy Gang” in the 1980s. Although he was born in England, he also captained Wales.
The midfielder terrified adversaries with his threats, brawls and tackles that ended at least one player’s career.
He was sent off 12 times and holds the record for the quickest booking after three seconds during a 1992 FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Sheffield United.
In a 1992 video he gave instructions on how to “follow through with your studs down his Achilles and if you’re cute the ref won’t see you.” The FA fined him a record £20,000. A threat to tear off Kenny Dalglish’s ear also cost him a fine.
Famously, he was seen grabbing Paul Gascoigne’s crotch during a game.
His reputation prompted film director Guy Ritchie to cast him as debt collector Big Chris in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels in 1998. His first big Hollywood role followed, in car heist movie Gone in 60 Seconds, and he landed parts in dozens of films including Mean Machine, X-men: The Last Stand and Swordfish.
Vinnie says his fearsome reputation is “not just fair, it’s fact. I am who I am, and I’m quite happy in my own skin”.
“Adrenaline has played a big part in my life... Sometimes you can control it and sometimes you can’t,” he says.
“I don’t think you should go through life regretting things, you go through life learning things. You learn from your mistakes, and your crimes.”
Vinnie has swapped his milk-mo for a moat-stache to celebrate the nation’s love for plant-based food.