Putting the focus on those players who have had long and well-travelled careers in the game, but only made a brief stop off at Molineux.
To begin the series, we start with a player who many would never realise even put on the famous gold and black of Wolves, because he was never officially signed by the club – Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne.
Before Wolves
Regarded as one of the best players of his generation, Gascoigne has had a career in the game which many others can only dream of, although it was also mired with controversy. An immensely popular character on and off the football pitch, the Gateshead-born midfielder started his career as a schoolboy with Newcastle United, having failed to impress at trials with Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Southampton.
Having captained the Magpies to FA Youth Cup glory, where he scored twice in the final victory over Watford, Gascoigne turned professional in 1985 at the age of 18 and spent three seasons in his boyhood club’s first-team. During his time at Newcastle, Gascoigne emerged onto the national conscious and was named as the PFS Young Player of the Year and listed on the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the 1987/88 season.
Although agreeing to sign for Manchester United in the summer of 1988, Gascoigne instead joined Tottenham Hotspur, where he went on to further his career and be renown as one of the best players in the English top-flight – being named BBC Sports Personality of the Year during the same year he helped England into the semi-finals of Italia 90. He also helped Spurs to FA Cup glory during the 1990/91 season.
Eventually being sold to Lazio in 1992, Gascoigne enjoyed some success in Serie A as he helped the team to a fifth place finish and qualification for European competition for the first time in 16 years. However, he failed to fully settle in Rome, and joined Rangers two years later. In only Gascoigne’s first season at Ibrox, Ranger won the league and cup double, and the midfielder was named as both PFA Scotland’s Players’ Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year.
Gascoigne experienced further success in Scotland before a dip in form saw him return to England as he signed for Middlesbrough. Although he was still showing his skills on the pitch, including helping Boro to Premier League promotion, Gascoigne was beginning to experience severe mental health problems which would dog the rest of his career and beyond into retirement. A two-year stint at Everton would see Gascoigne find the net just once, which was his final goal in English football, away to Bolton Wanderers in November 2001.
With off-field issues affecting his footballing career, the midfielder was struggling to tie down a club, spending time at Burnley and China League One club Gansu Tianma in both a playing and coaching role.
Wolves career
During the autumn of 2003, Gascoigne was looking for a way back into English football following his stint in China, which saw the midfielder call up his old England teammate Paul Ince and asked him if there was any way ‘The Guvnor’ could help restart his fading career.
This led to Gascoigne rocking up at Wolves’ Compton Park training ground – which were unrecognisable from the state-of-the-art facilities currently enjoyed by the first-team. Joining up with Dave Jones’ newly-promoted side, Gascoigne spent October and November training with Wolves in a bid to recapture his fitness and form, while trying to convince Jones to offer him a chance.
The manager refused to rule out giving the then-36-year-old a way back into the game, saying: “The arrangement is open-ended - he stays as long as he wants to. If he turns out to be what we know Paul can be then you never say never.”
The former England man would go on to make three appearances in Old Gold as he made his competitive debut in a reserve game against Sunderland at Telford’s New Bucks Head. After 90 minutes against the Black Cats, Gascoigne featured in two more reserve games against West Bromwich Albion – at Kidderminster Harriers’ Aggborough – and Blackburn Rovers.
Having almost twice got on the scoresheet against the Baggies, he unfortunately took a knock to the shin in his third Wolves appearance, leading to him being replaced at half-time in a game which proved to be the last time Wolves fans would see him in gold and black.
After Wolves
However much Gascoigne wanted a full-time contract from Wolves, it was decided he would part ways with the club after admitting his best days were behind him. Although that didn’t stop the midfielder feeling ‘devastated’. He told The Times: “Wolves are not going to give me a contract, however titchy. It’s heartbreaking, but I might as well acknowledge that that’s it.”
Six months later, he did find his way back into football, signing on as a player-coach by League Two side Boston United, but his time at The Pilgrims was to last all of five appearances over a three-month period. That was to signal the end of an enthralling professional career.
Since then, much has been made about Gascoigne’s personal life off the field, but on the pitch, he will go down in the history books of one of England’s greatest ever footballers.
This article originally featured in Wolves' official 2023/24 matchday programme. Last season's programmes are still available to purchase online through retailers Curtis Sports.
