England legend had bought 20 packets of the dried meat treat to take home to the UK when he was surrounded by police at the airport in Arizona
Gazza – who exclusively revealed to the Mirror he can’t stop drinking – was stopped by cops in the US on the way back from rehab in 2013…..because of his love of Beef Jerky.
He had bought 20 packets of the dried meat treat to take home to the UK when he was surrounded by police at the airport in Arizona. He recalled: “There was a funny end to the rehab. I love beef jerky so I bought 20 packets to take home.
“But when I got the airport I was stopped by the police and they ordered me to get down. They had sniffer dogs and I was like ‘whoa, whoa, what are you doing? But they thought that I had drugs.”
“The dogs were sniffing around my bags for beef jerky.” He told how his dad John was waiting for him at Heathrow Airport but Gazza, who had a fear of flying, took too many pills given to him to deal with his phobia.
He ended up in Mexico with a fellow addict who he had met during rehab.
“I had to call my dad to explain.” added Gazza. “But I wasn’t sure where I was or how I had ended up there.”
Gazza recently broke his left knee cap, and has a six-inch scar just above his belly button after emergency surgery when he collapsed due to stomach ulcers caused by a period of drinking neat gin.
He has tattoos dedicated to Regan, and stepchildren Bianca, 38, and Mason, 36, both reality TV stars.
His live appearances for fans have replaced the ‘buzz of playing.
He tells audiences of his England career, from 1988 to 1998 when he was dropped by then manager Glenn Hoddle, and his heyday.
For a time after Italia 90, his fame knew no bounds. He met Pope John Paul II, Princess Diana, Elton John, George Clooney, and Dustin Hoffman.
Paul Gascoigne Eight (published by Reach Sport) is on sale October 23rd. Preorder on Amazon now.
Amazon link for online – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Gascoigne-Eight-Gazza-Revealed/dp/1916811434