'Lean', 'fit' Gascoigne makes a comeback on Tyneside following rehab experience

Former England international footballer Paul Gascoigne, popularly known as 'Gazza' has made his comeback tour in a lean, tanned and fit look at his first public speaking engagement at a former Masonic Hall consisting of only 200 people in Tyneside, following his near-death experience in a rehabilitation clinic in US four months back.

The former England midfielder was touted as the best footballer on the planet and jokingly said to his audience that he wished someone would 'spike his coffee', the Mirror reports.

Gazza admitted that he 'should have signed for Manchester United' when he left Newcastle United in 1988 and recalled the players who had come to his aid to fund his 100,000 pounds rehab in February.

Gazza became emotional about moving away from Newcastle, his mentor Sir Bobby Robson, his time at Spurs and Lazio and the peak of his career during the 1990 World Cup and joked that the drink problem was caused by 'having only one mouth', but assured that he will have complete recovery soon.

South Shields' Harry Thompson said that Gazza was looking better at Tyneside than he has in recent pictures, adding that although the former footballer seems frail but still looked better and the money spent on seeing the player was worth it.