Football: Gascoigne explains photographer incident

PAUL GASCOIGNE yesterday defended his actions in fighting with a photographer, Lino Nanni, who followed him while shopping in Rome with his girlfriend.

Lazio's England international said he had acted 'as my father would have done' in dealing with the cameraman on Thursday night. Gascoigne strongly attacked Italian press tactics, saying his house had been twice broken into. Gascoigne was held with his girlfriend Sheryl Kyle by police after the incident involving two photographers. 'I was with Sheryl to change a pair of trousers and we were immediately followed by three photographers,' Gascoigne said.

'They must have taken 50 to 60 photos and so I said 'enough'. I repeated it several times but they did not take any notice. Then I told them I was going in the shop and that when I came out I did not want any photos.

''Lino Nanni then put his hands around my neck and said to a colleague: 'Go on take a photo.' That is when I reacted like my father would have done.' Gascoigne added that he and Nanni have since shaken hands.

The Leeds central defender, Chris Fairclough, is using video evidence to contest a booking incurred during last Sunday's televised Premiership game at Blackburn. Fairclough was shown the yellow card by Vic Callow for a challenge on Blackburn's Kevin Gallacher but he claims a video recording of the incident shows he made no contact with Gallacher.