Gazza could soon be playing pool against George Clooney at his favourite club, The Dunston Excelsior. The Geordie star told how he spoke with the Hollywood A-lister thanks to a mutual friend.

A bodyguard who protected the England legend when he was playing for Lazio in Italy 30 years ago landed a job with Clooney. And the actor, 64, who has a property by Lake Como, ended up having a chat on the phone with Gazza. In the past, the England legend has spoken of his encounters with Dustin Hoffman, Robbie Williams, Princess Diana.....and Mike Tyson

In an interview to promote his memoir 'Eight', Gazza, 58, told the Mirror: "George Clooney wants to come to Dunston Excelsior to play pool. But I still have to play him."

He explained that his former bodyguard in Italy spent some time working with Clooney. He recalled: "I was in London and Johnny called and said: 'I have someone who wants to speak to you. I said: 'Who? And he said 'George Clooney'."

"He said ‘I hear you're a good pool player. I am going to come to your local to challenge you.' Gazza, from Dunston in Gateshead, once played pool with a son of Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi during a visit to the country while playing for Middlesbrough in 2000.

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The match against Tripoli was held to inaugurate a new venue, the Great Man-Made River Stadium. At the height of his fame, Gazza also became good friends with DJ Chris Evans and broadcaster Danny Baker. One of his funniest encounters was with former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in Gateshead.

Tyson, then 41, was doing a personal appearance on Tyneside back in 2008 and turned up at the Gascoigne family home to see him. Gazza said: "I could hear a man outside shouting: 'Gazza, are you in?' in an American accent. When I opened the bedroom window, there was Mike Tyson standing in the street.

"I thought 'f*** me, 'it's Mike Tyson' and went down to meet him. We ended up going out for my birthday. It was handy as you don't get into any trouble with Mike Tyson."

The ex-heavyweight champion of the world wanted to offer his help to Gazza after his own problems at the end of his boxing career. Gazza also told how his loved ones avoid the Christmas booze due to his addiction to alcohol.

He makes a 700-mile round trip from his flat in Poole, Dorset to Gateshead to see his mum Carol, 82, sisters Anna, 59, Lindsay, 52, and brother Carl, 56. They exchange gifts before Gazza heads back to Dorset.

He said: "The family does not drink around me, so I have to shoot off and just let them get on with it. I love to see them, we go into one house. I will probably get a taxi, it costs around £900 to get back home.

"But I will open my presents when I get back to Dorset. I usually get slippers, a dressing gown and wine gums, and Brut from my mum."

He added: "I used to advertise their aftershave so it is a bit of a family joke; my sister Anna might get me the wine gums." He gives his family cash presents

*Paul Gascoigne, Eight, The Real Gazza is on sale now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Gascoigne-Eight-Gazza-Revealed/dp/1916811434

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