{"product_id":"goodison-gazza","title":"Goodison Gazza","description":"Back in 1992, Kenny earned the title of \"man of the match\" in his first Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool. He was being heralded as a boy wonder of the beautiful game, a once-in-a-generation talent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe same would be said of fellow teen Evertonian Wayne Rooney nearly a decade later. But while Wayne navigated the pressure of fame to carve out a successful career (not without a few setbacks), Kenny was not so lucky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this frank memoir, \u003ci\u003eThe Goodison Gazza\u003c\/i\u003e, Kenny - described by The Guardian as \"the No1 lost talent in football\" - opens up about his colourful life in a way he never has before. Raised in a deprived part of Liverpool, he had been grifting since he was a child and almost missed out on his big break after being caught stealing a goat from gypsies. So when his footballing career took off, he was desperate to make it a success.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHowever, post-match drinks with teammates soon led to cocaine-fuelled benders with his \"million new mates\" - and, after an injury left him needing an operation, his self-destructive behaviour only got worse. He stole a teammate's car for a joyride, gave match tickets to touts, went boozing with Gazza and fought with Vinnie Jones.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1994 he was sacked by Everton for professional misconduct, then axed by Oldham Athletic a year later. He spent the following two decades at rock bottom, strung out on drugs, suffering depression, serving time behind bars, and - for one particularly bad year - even going on the run from police in Spain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe worst came when he tried to take his own life - and very nearly succeeded; a story he is sharing for the first time in this powerful no-holds-barred mea cupla of memoir.","brand":"Reach plc","offers":[{"title":"Default Product","offer_id":57533099573592,"sku":"9781916811652","price":21.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/goodison-gazza","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}