Paul Merson

An anecdote-driven narrative of the classic footballer's 'DOs and DO NOTs' from the ever-popular Arsenal legend and football pundit Paul Merson, aka 'The Merse'. When it comes to advice on the pitfalls of life as a professional footballer, Paul Merson can pretty much write the manual. In fact, that's exactly what he's done in this hilarious new book which manages to be simultaneously poignant and gloriously funny. Merson was a prodigiously talented footballer in the 80s and 90s, gracing the upper echelons of the game - and the tabloid front pages - with his breathtakingly skills and larger-than-life off-field persona. His much-publicised battles with gambling, drug and alcohol addiction are behind him now, and football fans continue to be drawn to his sharp footballing brain and playful antics on SkySports cult results show Soccer Saturday. The book delights and entertains with a treasure chest of terrific anecdotes from a man who has never lost his love of football and his inimitable joie de vivre through a 25-year association with the Beautiful Game. The DO NOTs include: DO NOT adopt 'Champagne' Charlie Nicholas as your mentor DO NOT share a house with Gazza DO NOT regularly place £30,000 bets at the bookie's DO NOT get so drunk that you can't remember the 90 minutes of football you just played in DO NOT manage Walsall (at any cost) How Not to be a Professional Footballer is a hugely entertaining, moving and laugh-out-loud funny story.

How Not to Be a Professional Footballer

'Brave, poignant and very moving. This book will change lives.' Jamie Redknapp 'A courageous, emotional and vitally important book.' Jeff Stelling Paul Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction for three decades. For twenty-one years Paul Merson played professional football. He won two First Division titles with Arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation. But for thirty years Paul Merson has also been an addict. Alcohol, drugs, gambling: a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. 'I've come to realise that I'm powerless over alcohol ... I'm an alcoholic. My drinking and gambling have left a lot of wreckage.' Until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. 'I wanted to kill myself. I couldn't go on anymore. I just couldn't see a way out.' Then something clicked. 'One day, I was walking home from the pub late on a Sunday evening, and I thought to myself: I've had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life. I rang up Alcoholics Anonymous the next day, and since then I haven't had a drink.' Hooked is Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction, searingly charting his journey over three decades. It is absolutely unflinching in detailing his emotional and psychological troughs and in raking over the painful embers of an adult life blighted by such debilitating issues. Hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak. 'Addiction is the loneliest of places. You're a slave to insecurity and ego. But it has to be you that wants things to change. Never be afraid to talk: the more you talk about the addictions the more it takes the power out of them. You're never alone.'

Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery

Hooked

Ian Ridley

Paul Merson's career reached its peak as he gained selection for Glenn Hoddle's England squad for the 1998 World Cup. Four years had elapsed since he openly admitted his alcoholism and addictions to gambling and drugs, and France 98 heralded the start of an incident-packed year for the former Highbury hero.

Hero and Villain

For twenty-one years Paul Merson played professional football. He won two First Division titles with Arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation. But for thirty years Paul Merson has also been an addict. Alcohol, drugs, gambling: a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. 'I've come to realise that I'm powerless over alcohol ... I'm an alcoholic. My drinking and gambling have left a lot of wreckage.' Until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. 'I wanted to kill myself. I couldn't go on anymore. I just couldn't see a way out.' Then something clicked. 'One day, I was walking home from the pub late on a Sunday evening, and I thought to myself: I've had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life. I rang up Alcoholics Anonymous the next day, and since then I haven't had a drink.' Hooked is Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction, searingly charting his journey over three decades. It is absolutely unflinching in detailing his emotional and psychological troughs and in raking over the painful embers of an adult life blighted by such debilitating issues. Hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak. 'Addiction is the loneliest of places. You're a slave to insecurity and ego. But it has to be you that wants things to change. Never be afraid to talk: the more you talk about the addictions the more it takes the power out of them. You're never alone.'

This autobiography of the England and Arsenal football star, Paul Merson, includes a frank account of his addiction to drugs, alcohol and gambling and of his rehabilitation. Paul's wife, Lorraine describes how she coped with her husband's addictions and tells of her role in his survival.

Rock Bottom

Paul Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction for three decades. For twenty-one years Paul Merson played professional football. He won two First Division titles with Arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation. But for thirty years Paul Merson has also been an addict. Alcohol, drugs, gambling: a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. Until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. 'I wanted to kill myself. I couldn't go on anymore. I just couldn't see a way out.' Then something clicked. 'One day, I was walking home from the pub late on a Sunday evening, and I thought to myself: I've had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life. I rang up Alcoholics Anonymous the next day, and since then I haven't had a drink.' Hooked is Merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction, searingly charting his journey over three decades. It is absolutely unflinching in detailing his emotional and psychological troughs and in raking over the painful embers of an adult life blighted by such debilitating issues. Hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak. 'Addiction is the loneliest of places. You're a slave to insecurity and ego. But it has to be you that wants things to change. Never be afraid to talk: the more you talk about the addictions the more it takes the power out of them. You're never alone.'

Paul Merson

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