There weren’t many bigger rising sporting stars in Britain at the end of the 1980s than Paul Gascoigne and some lucky young fans got the chance to meet the Tottenham Hotspur star when he came to our area towards the end of the decade.

Although Spurs had been beaten 2-1 at Aston Villa the previous day, ‘Gazza’ was all smiles when he signed autographs and posed for photos when visiting a youth club at Bushey Synagogue on October 30, 1988, just two weeks after making his England debut.

Aged 21 at the time, Gascoigne had moved to White Hart Lane from Newcastle United that summer and was to help Terry Venables’ side finish sixth in the old First Division in his first season in north London, having made his first international appearance in a 1-0 friendly victory over Denmark on September 14.

(Image: Watford Observer)

Widely recognised as the most naturally talented footballer of his generation, Gascoigne would go on to play a starring role at the 1990 World Cup as England reached the semi-finals and was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

(Image: Watford Observer)

(Image: Watford Observer)

(Image: Watford Observer)