Ally McCoist’s brutal bust-up with Paul Gascoigne: ‘I’ll rip your head off’
Ally McCoist recalls the time he found Gazza in his kitchen
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Ally McCoist has been on commentary duty for Euro 2020, including for England vs Scotland during the group stages. McCoist is familiar with the England-Scotland rivalry, having played in the famous game of Euro 96 when Paul Gascoigne scored a stunning volley. This tension may have originated from their club careers, as McCoist told of a big bust-up between him and Gascoigne while they were at Scottish side Glasgow Rangers.
Rangers’ 1996 Scottish League Cup victory is remembered for Gascoigne’s second half masterclass, as his fine double inspired the Gers to a 4-3 victory over Hearts.
But McCoist noted in April last year that he and Gascoigne came to blows over an on-pitch incident.
McCoist explained that he went to make a run in behind the Hearts defence, but then came short for the ball – and Gascoigne played a pass in behind.
Following another mix up, Gascoigne threw his hands up in the air in anger at his teammate.
On talkSPORT, McCoist explained: “He looks at me and throws his hands in the air, right? There was about 60,000 there, and he throws his hands up in the air like I’m some sort of diddy!
“Anyway, I ran up and I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and I said: ‘You ever try to make a fool of me in front of 60,000 again, and I’ll rip your head off!’
“He said to me: ‘Is that right? Let’s get this sorted out right now!’
“The next minute we’ve got the players in between us, the referees in between us and threatening to book us.”
At half time, McCoist explained how his teammates tried to calm the two of them down, but it didn’t work.
He added: “Gascoigne is still raging and I can see Walter [Smith] (Rangers manager) getting angrier and angrier. I’ve known Walter long enough by this point to just keep my mouth shut, but Gascoigne keeps going.
“Eventually Walter picks him up by the scruff of the neck and hangs him up on the peg where you put your coats and he says: ‘Paul, I will not tell you again to shut up!’
“It was unbelievable and it was that much of a shock at half-time at what was happening, the argument, the trouble, the fighting in the dressing room.
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“Eventually when it calmed down Gazza got up, went out of the dressing room and straight into the director’s room – in his gear by the way! – and had a whiskey.
“He threw it down his neck, came back into the dressing room, sat down, Walter did his team talk, he walked out for the second half and he scored two goals. He was unbelievable.
“That was a cup final! He was phenomenal, what a talent, what a talent!”
The row clearly didn’t impact their performance, as McCoist got the other two goals in the final to secure the victory for the Scottish giants.
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