21 February 2008 - Gazza's Days Get Darker

On 21 February 2008, former England star midfielder Paul Gascoigne's tragic battle with alcoholism and depression resulted in his compulsory admission to a mental hospital for treatment. Unfortunately for all involved, it did little good and he continues to struggle with his problems.

Gascoigne, popularly known as "Gazza," enjoyed a remarkable career that started in 1985 with Newcastle and included spells at Tottenham (1988-92), Lazio (1992-95), and Rangers (1995-98), among others. Meanwhile, he was capped 57 times by England between 1988 and 1998, including a standout performance in the 1990 World Cup that sparked "Gazzamania" back in England.

But throughout, he struggled in his personal life with addiction and other issues, including depression and bipolar disorder. His problems grew worse after his retirement in 2004, followed by a short and unsuccessful spell as manager of Kettering Town that ended with his sacking in 2005 after only 39 days in charge. He claimed later that he was drinking up to four bottles of whisky and vodka per day.

In February 2008, police were called to the Newcastle hotel where he was staying while recovering from a hip operation. After he threatened to harm himself, he was taken into custody and compelled to enter a mental health facility. But by the end of the year, he was again deep into his alcoholism, reportedly drinking up to 30 cans of beer per day.

After promising signs of recovery in 2009, Gascoigne again relapsed in 2010, culminating in two separate October arrests for drunk driving and possession of cocaine.

14 December 1994 - The Hardman Cometh (To Wales)

On 14 December 1994, 30-year old English midfielder Vinnie Jones received his first international call-up--for Wales.

Jones, who was born the English town in Watford, had made his reputation as the leader of the Wimbledon FC "Crazy Gang" that won the 1988 FA Cup over Liverpool. Self-proclaimed as one of football's hardest men, he lived up to the billing by playing with a reckless abandon and earning a slew of red cards along the way. While at Wimbledon, he committed two of his most infamous acts--inflicting a 1986 knee injury on Spurs defender Gary Stevens that eventually ended his career and grabbing Newcastle midfielder Paul Gascoigne by the testicles in 1987.

By 1994, he had rejoined Wimbledon after spells with Leeds United (1989-90), Sheffield United (1990-91), and Chelsea (1991-92) and was hoping to make the move into international football. With England looking elsewhere, he qualified to play for Wales through his maternal grandmother and duly received his first call-up by manager Mike Smith.

To his credit, Jones quickly embraced his new team, learning the Welsh national anthem in short order and reportedly getting a tattoo of a dragon over his heart. But Wales were a side in decline and lost on his debut to Bulgaria, 0-3, in a European Championship qualifier.

Jones went on to make a total of nine appearances for Wales, and even captained the team, but never got to taste international victory. And his "Crazy Gang" behavior followed him as, in just his fourth game, he was ejected in the 27th minute for stepping on an opposing player's groin in a 1-0 loss to Georgia.

26 July 2009 - A Fitting Farewell For Bobby Robson

On 26 July 2009, England and Germany played a rematch of their meeting in the 1990 World Cup in honor of former England manager Bobby Robson. Proceeds from the match went to his cancer charity, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The 1990 match, which was won by West Germany on penalty kicks, was Robson's last in charge after eight years at the helm of the national team. The sides met in the semi-finals, marking England's deepest run in the World Cup since winning it in 1966.

After leaving the England job, Robson managed several clubs, including PSV Eindhoven (1990-92, 1998-99), Sporting (1992-94), Porto (1994-96), Barcelona (1996-97), and, lastly, Newcastle United (1999-2004). During that time, he had been diagnosed with cancer on five separate occasions. The last diagnosis, in 2007, was terminal. Shortly afterward, in March 2008, he launched the Bobby Robson Foundation to fund cancer research, detection, and treatment.

The charity match was played at Newcastle's St. James' Park, with Robson in attendance. The England XI included ten members of the 1990 side, including Peter Shilton and Paul Gascoigne, while three players. Three players from the West German team, including captain Lothar Matthäus, joined the Germany XI. The remaining slots were filled by younger internationals and celebrity players such as singers Craig David and Simon Webbe.

History appeared likely to repeat itself as the Germans took an early 2-0 lead in the 18th minute, but England leveled before the break. Newcastle hero Alan Shearer provided the winning goal with a 79th minute penalty kick and the match ended 3-2 for England.

The match was Robson's last public appearance, as he passed away five days later. By the time of his death, the Foundation had raised £1.6 million and by late 2009, that number had risen to £2 million.