Paul Gascoigne leaves hospital as football icon's close team give fresh health update

Paul Gascoigne has reportedly left hospital and is recovering at home after being admitted to an intensive care ward. The England football icon is said to have been found semi-conscious by a friend at his residence in Dorset.

Gascoigne was rushed to intensive care but was soon transferred to an acute medical unit. He was said to be in a stable condition. A spokesperson for the 58-year-old's management company has now confirmed that he has been struggling with a throat condition. The MNT Agency representative allegedly told The Times that the ex-Three Lions favourite "is already back home and doing well".

Paul Foster, Gascoigne's friend, driver and personal assistant, found the former midfielder at his home. Foster told the Sun: "He would like to thank everyone for the support he's received so far from so many old friends who wish him well and want to see him back to his best. Paul is in hospital, which is the best possible place for him to be right now."

A source then revealed that Gascoigne had spoken to some close friends and family from the hospital in Dorset. They said: "He has told friends that he is fine and was going to give an update later today. He has been doing well recently so this was an unexpected setback. He had a full three months without alcohol over the summer while he was doing various speaking engagements and looked really well."

Gascoigne's stepdaughter Bianca, a reality TV star, his two sisters Lindsay and Anna, along with footballing friends Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle, Paul Merson and Vinnie Jones are believed to have been kept informed of his condition.

An iconic figure of England teams in the late 1980s and 1990s, Gascoigne - affectionately known as Gazza - remains one of the nation's most-loved football stars. He played a key role in the Three Lions' run to the 1990 World Cup semi-final, and was infamously filmed in tears after being booked against Germany. Gascoigne would have been banned for the final, although Sir Bobby Robson's side were ultimately beaten by the Germans.

He earned 57 caps for England and played for Tottenham, Newcastle, Lazio and Rangers at the height of his power. Last year, Gascoigne told the Mirror that he was doing the best he had "in years", having battled alcoholism in the years after his retirement from football.

Speaking last year about his personal life on the High Performance Podcast, Gascoigne said: "I don't blame anyone, I used to blame a lot of people when I was drinking. 'It's f****** because he did that. Because such-and-such did this.' I did the 12 steps and one of the steps was to meet the person you blamed and apologise to them.

"What I put myself through and other people, jail and rehab - taking cocaine off toilet seats - and then I'm asked to be ambassador for my country, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry."