The former England ace admitted life in the public eye has its “good points”, particularly when he realised there were ways to use his position to his advantage.

He told FourFourTwo of fame: “It has its good points. I get some nice perks for free.

“Once, I said I liked dickie bows, then all of a sudden outside my door were a f****** load of dickie bows.

“I thought, ‘F****** hell, OK…’

“So I mentioned I liked guitars, and the next thing I knew there were three or four at the front door.”

Gazza became an unlikely popstar shortly after Italia 90 when he teamed up with Lindisfarne for a version of their song Fog on the Tyne and the track went to number two in the UK charts.

But the sporting legend admitted he isn’t the best vocalist.

Asked how he rated his singing, he laughed: “F****** terrible… It did alright though to be fair.

“I enjoyed it – Fog on the Tyne, f*** me.”

And Paul has found fame has its disadvantages too.

He said: “It’s dealing with everything. Sometimes its difficult and sometimes I snap.

“It’s great to become famous, but in England, once you’re a celebrity, that’s it, they try to knock you down.

“I’ve had to deal with constant lies being written about me.”