London, Jan. 23: Former England football star Paul Gascoigne's shambolic depiction as a drunken wreck with abusive tantrums on TV this month sparked bad memories for Imraan Ladak, the chairman of the Kettering Football Club.

The Kettering chairman gave Gazza his last job in football in October 2005 after being part of a consortium that bought the Rockingham Road club and installed the volatile England legend as boss.

Gazza's brief reign at the non-league Poppies was a disaster as his alcohol problem spiralled out of control?

The club catalogued 37 instances of drunken behaviour in his ill-fated 39-day reign and according to The Mirror, Ladak claimed Gascoigne was so out of it, he could not remember their conversations.

Ladak sacked Gascoigne after just eight matches, stating the star was "under the influence of alcohol before, during and after several first-team games and training sessions".

"There was a dream we had to try and achieve something with Paul and it is a real disappointment it didn't work out," said Ladak.

"I was the chairman and I have to bear some responsibility. When things don't work out, you always question your actions afterwards. There was always an element of risk but we did it with the best intentions," he added.

Football fans like to remember Gascoigne as a swashbuckling midfielder who won 57 caps for England and scored 10 goals when he was widely regarded as the most gifted player of his generation.

Gazza has had a troubled life since leaving professional football in 2002 as his persistent alcohol problems and bouts of depression have increased.

Gascoigne's plight even saw him sectioned for a second time under the Mental Health Act last summer.

Ladak says seeing the fallen idol's sad existence makes him despair after growing up hero-worshipping Gascoigne. (ANI)