'Gascoigne's treatment appallling' says ex-Celtic player Kris Commons

After having been nominated for induction to the Scottish Football Hall of fame for the time he spent with Glasgow side Rangers, Paul Gascoigne was left humiliated at the eleventh hour, as planned protests against his nomination led to the SFA revoking the offer altogether. 

Ever a controversial figure for his exploits both on and off the field of play, Gascoigne certainly divides opinion.  And it was this division in opinion that led to at least one member of the Scottish FA board to boycott the awards ceremony dinner, to be held at Hampden Park in the coming weeks.

In spite of Gascoigne's long list of misdemeanors, including battles with alcoholism and drug addition, Celtic player Kris Commons defended the Geordie icon in his column for the 'Daily Mail' this week.

Commons stated his belief that, Gascoigne's problems aside, he still did not deserve the humiliation of such a public rebuking of his Hall of Fame nomination.  Commons asserted his personal belief that it was inappropriate to make the protests against Gascoigne so public, especially in light of the Geordie's well-documented mental health problems.

Of the decision to withdraw Gascoigne's candidacy at the eleventh hour, Commons wrote: "The timing of the decision to withdraw Gascoigne's nomination into the Hall of Fame actually made me think: 'Is this some kind of sick joke?' ".

The Mansfield born attacking midfielder defended Gascoigne's lifestyle stating: "The fact that Gascoigne is an alcoholic isn't the reason why the Hall of Fame have snubbed him. It would be ridiculous for them to take the moral high ground on something like that."

As Commons then correctly asserted, the allegations of domestic assault, sexual assault, and drug abuse, were in fact the reasons behind the SFA's decision. 

Commons even recounted the time when his wife found Gascoigne, or 'Gazza', completely drunk, by means of having a primary example of what young kids should not see as a role model for the game. Perhaps in the same vein, it is right that the SFA have revoked their Hall of Fame invite from Gascoigne. 

Celtic player Commons summarised by writing the following: "It's just so painful for me to watch because I absolutely idolised the guy and his life now is overshadowing what he did on the pitch. Purely in football terms, of course he should be in the Hall of Fame. its not even a debate. Hes one of the greatest players Rangers ever had. "

Unfortunately, in such an aware and politically volatile society that we live in now, an induction into the Hall of Fame would have promoted an inappropriate idol for the younger generations watching on; because being a footballer is more than just how you perform on the pitch.