Paul Gascoigne
was born 27th May 1967 in Gateshead. He was
an apprentice footballer with Newcastle United before turning
professional in 1985. After Tottenham Hotspur signed him in
1988, he established himself as an outstanding player and a
flamboyant personality, becoming a member of the England team.
His goal scoring success helped Tottenham reach the 1991 FA Cup
Final against Nottingham Forest. During the game he sustained a
serious knee injury which seemed to threaten his agreed transfer
deal to a top Italian club, Lazio, for a record £5 million fee.
After a long recovery he moved to Lazio in time for the 1992, 1993
season, where he continued to be a controversial figure on and
off the field. He received a further serious leg injury in 1994,
and moved to Rangers from Lazio in 1995. He may be better remembered
for crying during a world cup match.
Eric Idle born 29th March 1943 in South Shields, Tyne & Wear. Best
known as a member of the comedy group Monty Python. Eric studied
English at Cambridge University. While at university, he was a
member of the prestigious Cambridge Footlights Club, and later,
President of the Footlights Club. Eric's father, who served in
the Royal Air Force, died in a car crash on Christmas eve when
Eric was two years old.
The only member of the Monty Python group to write alone.
Therefore, it was difficult at times for him to get his material
accepted and used by the others. In 1963, as a collegiate, he was
admitted into the Cambridge Footlights comedy club. He became
president of the club the following year and one of his first
acts was to open the membership up to include women.
Feminist/writer Germaine Greer was one of the first to join. He
had a son with Lyn Ashley named Carey in 1973 and a daughter
named Lily with Tania Kosevich in 1990.
Alan Shearer
footballer, born in Newcastle-upon Tyne on
18th August 1970. He played for Southampton1988 - 1998
then transferred to Blackburn Rovers 1992 - 1996 at a then
record British fee of £3.2 million. He transferred to Newcastle
United in 1996 for a world record fee of £15 million.
By June 1997 he had a tally of 213 league goals. He joined the
England squad in 1992, becoming captain in 1996. He was named
1994 Footballer of the Year and 1995 Professional Footballers'
Association Player of the Year.
Wendy Craig was born on 20th June 1934 in Sacriston, County Durham. She is
the widow of musician and journalist Jack Bentley, and was
married for thirty-nine years. She has two sons, Alaster, an
oboist with the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Ross, a writer. She
is everybody's favorite TV `Mum`. Starring for more than twelve
years in such classic series as Not in front of the Children,
And Mother Makes Three, And Mother Makes Five as well as the
much acclaimed Butterflies. In real life, Wendy Craig is not the
dithering and flustered character seen on television, but is a
very clever and accomplished actress. The BBC peak hour drama
series Nanny was based on her own idea and formulation, and she
wrote many of the episodes of And Mother Makes Five, herself.
