KENNY CLARK has told of his struggles in trying to keep Paul Gascoigne and Paolo Di Canio under control while on the pitch.
The pair lit up the Scottish game and to this day the duo are still two of the greatest stars to grace football in Scotland.
Former referee Clark was impressed by their footballing talents, but he has told of his nightmares trying to keep both Gascoigne and Di Canio in check.
“Gazza and Di Canio were amongst the most difficult to control. Both were incredibly volatile: they might have scored a hat-trick and be coasting to an easy win, but then they’d go and do something crazy or reckless,” Clark said.
“But they could still be very funny. I remember a cup tie at Clyde when Gazza was moaning about the ball, telling me it was like a pub ball. I thought, let’s have some sensible man-management here and I’ll get a new ball at the first available opportunity.
“When this came, I took the ball, gave it to Stuart McCall and said, ‘put it off please.’ Stuart kicked it like an arrow, some 60 yards to the stand touchline. ‘See,’ said Gazza, ‘I told you that ball was f***ked, he can’t normally kick it ten yards straight.’”
Clark did go on to say just how great Gazza was and how much he enjoyed watching him play from on-field.
“His peripheral vision was incredible,” he added. “He was like a fly, you know, when you’re trying to swat it and it just sees your rolled-up newspaper coming and flies away. Paul just seemed to know when players were coming. His sense of space was incredible.”
Clark was speaking to Alastair Blair in his book STOP THE GAME: WE’RE GOING TO ARREST THE GOALKEEPER; Scottish Football Referees and the influence of Scotland on the Laws of the Game. This book is available to purchase online HERE.
