Paul Gascoigne at 55: Childhood tragedy, England heartbreak and Man Utd regret

Anyone who watched Paul Gascoigne in his prime will be able to point to one of the most gifted players of his generation, but as the former midfielder turns 55 there will be as much pain as joy over a career that could have been very different.

One of the stars of the 1990 World Cup, the midfielder had the talent to stay at the top for as long as he wanted. However, off-field struggles with alcoholism and mental health issues have made things difficult for the Gateshead-born star.

As Gascoigne marks his 55th birthday, he is nearly two decades removed from his final professional appearance, and even further from his final top-flight game. Here, Mirror Football examines Gazza's highs, lows and what-might-have-beens.

Tragedy first impacted Gascoigne when he was just a child, He would later open up about seeing his friend Stephen Spraggon die in his arms, and the moment unsurprisingly stayed with him.

"I was on my own with him for what seemed like ages," he recalled after his friend was knocked down and killed by an ice cream van. "It was the first dead body I'd ever seen and I felt Stephen's death was my fault. I still go over the accident in my mind. Just speaking of it can make me cry."

Later in life, speaking on Anything Goes with James English, Gascoigne recalled holding Stephen in his arms and thinking he was going to be okay. The experience impacted him deeply, with the young footballer developing tics and twitches in the years to come, but he was still able to turn his talent into a career, which, for a while, suggested he'd be capable of anything.

After starting out with boyhood club Newcastle United, a move down south to Tottenham Hotspur allowed Gascoigne to really kick on for club and country. He