In a new book released by former England star Paul Gascoigne, he delves into the infamous incident involving himself and his ex-wife Sheryl at the Gleneagles Hotel near Perth. The incident, which occurred in 1996, saw Gascoigne admit to beating Sheryl “black and blue” before acknowledging that their marriage was a “mistake.” The altercation took place at a hotel in Perthshire where Gascoigne headbutted his wife and pushed her over, resulting in her leaving with her arm in a sling. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder ended up paying Sheryl £700,000 plus £10,000 per month in maintenance payments after she filed for divorce just one year into their marriage.
Gascoigne’s book sheds light on the night of the incident, which made headlines with the Mirror’s front-page headline ‘GAZZA BEATS SHERYL BLACK AND BLUE.’ In the book, Gascoigne recounts the events of that fateful night at The Gleneagles Hotel, where a heated argument with Sheryl escalated to physical violence. Gascoigne admitted to pushing Sheryl to the floor after a disagreement in the hotel restaurant, causing her to hurt her hand. Despite Sheryl’s differing recollection of the events, Gascoigne expressed deep regret for the pain he caused that night.
The aftermath of the incident cast a dark shadow over Gascoigne’s life, with football fans taunting him as a “wife beater.” Gascoigne confessed that the incident had a lasting impact on his relationship with Sheryl, leading to brief periods of reconciliation that were never quite the same. Gascoigne also revealed that he felt trapped in the marriage from the moment they exchanged vows, with regrets setting in immediately after the lavish wedding ceremony in Hertfordshire. The book offers a candid look into Gascoigne’s tumultuous relationship with Sheryl and the events that led to their eventual divorce.
