WHAT do you think of when you hear Paul Gascoigne’s name? What image comes to mind?

To a generation of England fans, he is the midfielder who cried in Italy and put Scotland to the sword at Wembley. To Rangers supporters, he is the maestro that won eight-in-a-row at Ibrox and helped Walter Smith’s side clinch nine.

For those that had no club or international affiliation, he was the man who created as many front page headlines as back and terrorised team-mates as often as opposition defences.

Unfortunately, too many will now know him as a wife-beater or racist, as the fallen star that suffers with alcohol and drug addiction and, on more than one occasion, that has appeared to be alarmingly and tragically close to death.

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That is the picture of Gazza that is now portrayed increasingly often and it is sad that his achievements and his ability on the park are too readily overlooked. When there was a chance to remember and to celebrate, it was disgracefully snatched away last week.

The Scottish Football Museum at Hampden is well worth a visit and is an intriguing and excellent look back through the rich history of our beautiful game.

Their Hall of Fame commemorates the influences of huge figures, of terrific players and legendary managers and honours those who, as their own website states, ‘have reached the pinnacle of their profession and have made a significant contribution to Scotland’s football reputation through their skill, spirit and determination.’

Paul Gascoigne’s name was due to be there, it should be there. Now, though, it won’t after the committee withdrew his nomination to be inducted at a dinner in Glasgow next weekend.

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It was a shocking and embarrassing U-turn and a decision that has rightly come under fire from Gascoigne’s friends and former team-mates, both here and south of the border, as fears over his reaction and state of mind been worryingly raised.

In the parochial place that is Scottish football and the cesspit that is the online world, the news of Gazza’s impending induction created the inevitable outcry as his misdemeanours were thrown around in a game of narrow-minded point scoring.

The outrage even reached the corridors of power at the Scottish FA and board members seemingly threatened to boycott the event if the former Rangers midfielder was included in proceedings. It was petty, but not unexpected and says more about those involved than it does Gazza.

A statement on Thursday evening cited ‘concerns over the state of Paul’s health’ as a reason for withdrawing the invitation. Those fears are unfortunately well founded but they were known long before his nomination was made public, so why the sudden reversal?

And why was it deemed acceptable to use his issues with addiction and his mental problems as a reason for the change of heart, especially in the knowledge of the fall-out that would follow? It was the easy way out and a shameful route to reverse down.

The demons that Gascoigne is battling should not prevent him being honoured, and nor should the other problems that he has faced off the park over the years.

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Gazza’s list of transgressions is lengthy and his actions, from the physical abuse towards then wife Sheryl in 1996 to the racial abuse of a security guard two years ago, cannot be condoned. On those counts, you can’t have sympathy with or compassion towards the 51-year-old.

Gascoigne has been dealt with by the law of the land but the court of public opinion continues to judge him. In that regard, he is serving a life sentence.

Yet he is not the only famous face to have sinned. The moral compass points in many directions, though.

In many ways he is the definition of a flawed genius. Naturally gifted and as quick with his mouth as his feet, he is amongst the finest players ever to grace a Scottish park.

If inductions are made on ability, impact and success, then Gazza simply has to be there and this was the chance to remember the player rather than debate and subsequently deride the person.

He is a tormented and fragile individual, not a role model. He can’t be forgiven but he can be pitied and should be comforted rather than condemned.

As a man, Paul Gascoigne certainly isn’t perfect. As a footballer, he was mercurial, magical, and it is those memories that should have been the most important ones at Hampden.