England footballing legend Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne heading to Pontefract

Paul Gascoigne will stage ‘An Evening With Gazza’ at Kings Croft Hotel on Thursday, May 4.

Doors open at 6pm and guests will be welcomed into the hotel to spend time listening to Gazza’s many tales from across a 20-year professional playing career.

The event is the latest in a string of legend talks organised by Ian Hannon from Pontefract, who moved to the town 20 years ago from Newcastle.

A former Army man, Ian began organising charity events at the hotel following an accident while working as a HGV driver, which left him almost paralysed. A non-cancerous tumour was later discovered on his spinal cord.

"It all started out of boredom really,” Ian said.

”I was stuck in the house all the time due to my health and had lots of time on my hands, which is when I started making some amazing contacts and friends.”

One of those amazing contacts was former footballer and manager, Kevin Keegan.

"I'd had his email address for a while and we spoke a few times and he invited me to his house for a cuppa.

"He came to the Kings Croft Hotel for an event in October last year, which raised £10,000 for the Prince of Wales Hospice.

"We went on to book Peter Beardsley in January and now Gazza in May. And it looks like it'll be Frank Bruno in October.

"We're also working on a golf day where people can have a round of golf with celebrities - and we're hoping for an evening with Alan Shearer and two of the instructors from SAS: Who Dares Wins will come and give a talk.

"It's going down a storm!

"You never think you'll get to meet these people and I still don't know how I got Gazza. I was invited to meet him at an event in Warrington last week and he's on top form. He has really good support around him."

All the money raised from the 2023 events will be donated to Rob Burrow's MND charity.

"Rob and his family came to the Peter Beardsley talk and I visited Rob afterwards where he set me a challenge to get Frankie Dettori to Pontefract!

"With him now having a racehorse in his honour, Beep Beep Burrow, I think he's into racing and that's someone he's never met.

"I have been told though that I have more chance of booking the Pope than Frankie - but I would love to do it for Rob."

Rob and his family will be at the Gazza night, which Ian says will be an ‘amazing’ and which wouldn't be possible without the support of the owners of The Kings Croft Hotel, Shaun Ingram and his wife Rosie, and the event sponsor, food supplier, Dovecote Park.

Ian said: "Every penny made will go to Rob's charity. It's about putting on a good night and raising money for the Burrow family."

The evening includes a four course meal, raffle and auction. Visit The Kings Croft website here for tickets.