Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery

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Merson scored ten times that season, made his debut for the England U21 team, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year.

Book Paul Merson | Speaker Agent - Champions Speakers Book Paul Merson | Speaker Agent - Champions Speakers

Walsall went out of all cup competitions against lower league teams, and it was reported that Merson had had a rift with his wife, and had started drinking and gambling again, whilst the press reported on him inviting goalkeeper Mark Bosnich back into the game.Even when I was at my best as a footballer in five alcohol-free years at Aston Villa and Portsmouth, I was losing millions.

Paul Merson: ‘Gambling is a horrible addiction. Your career Paul Merson: ‘Gambling is a horrible addiction. Your career

Even when I confessed, begged for help and went into treatment at the end of the year, it suited everybody to play down the amount of cocaine I stuck up my nose. A month later, I went to see him at The Priory at Roehampton, expecting to talk to him about how I was now back in recovery, taking one day at a time. In that tournament, he played in England's famous second round match against Argentina, coming off the bench and scoring in the penalty shoot-out, although England eventually lost.Playing for highly successful clubs has given Paul the insight into life at the top, allowing him to deliver intriguing talks as a football speaker.

Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery (Audio Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery (Audio

I remember sitting at the foot of my bed and thinking that if I couldn’t control the urge, I’d have to take drastic action. Merson is often the target of good-humoured jabs from Jeff Stelling and other members of the Soccer Saturday panel; for example, in his attempts to pronounce the names of foreign players.He has not had a bet since then but he received another jolt last August when his good friends Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier were all axed from Soccer Saturday. Among my circle of cocaine-users, I stood out because of how much I’d take in one snort and how often I would want a top up. Asked by Susanna how he is coping day-to-day now, he said: "Its trying to live in the moment, live in the day.