Paul Merson

Arsenal

Born on 20 March 1968 in Harlesden, North West London, Merson started his career at Arsenal, joining the club as an apprentice in 1984. After a loan spell at Brentford, then under manager Frank McLintock, he made his debut for the Gunners on 22 November 1986 against Manchester City, and gradually established himself in George Graham's successful Arsenal side of the late 1980s. By the 1988–89 season he was a regular on the right wing, at the end of which Arsenal secured the First Division title with a stoppage time Michael Thomas goal in the final game of the season against Liverpool at Anfield. Merson scored ten times that season, made his debut for the England U21 team, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year. In 1991, Merson achieved another league championship with Arsenal and had the highest goalscoring season of his career with 13 goals. He also won a double of the FA Cup and League Cup in 1993, scoring in the 1993 Football League Cup Final against Sheffield Wednesday. A year later, he helped Arsenal win its first European trophy in 24 years as the Gunners defeated Parma in Copenhagen to win the 1993–94 European Cup Winners' Cup. Merson's career was put on the line in November 1994 when he admitted to having addictions to alcohol, cocaine and gambling. The Football Association arranged for Merson to undergo a three-month rehabilitation programme and he returned to the side in February 1995, just before the dismissal of George Graham as manager. Under…

Euro 1992

Merson first played for the England national team in 1991, being called up by Graham Taylor. The 23-year-old made his debut for the full England side, in a friendly against Germany on 11 September 1991. He participated in the 1992 European Championships in Sweden. He played in the opening 0–0 draw with Denmark. England went out after another 0–0 draw against the French and a 2–1 loss to hosts Sweden.

1994 World Cup qualifying

Merson also played a part in the failed campaign to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He played in the opening game, a 1–1 home draw with Norway. He next played against the Netherlands as a substitute for Paul Gascoigne who was injured. England were leading 2–1, but crucially conceded a late penalty for a 2–2 draw. Merson also played in the 1993 US Cup against Brazil and Germany, nearly scoring in a 2–1 defeat to the later, Bodo Illgner saving from a 20-yard shot. He returned for the critical and controversial 2–0 defeat against the Dutch in Rotterdam. Merson nearly equalised the opening Dutch goal, and hit the post with an excellent free-kick. England failed to qualify for the World Cup. Taylor's successor, Terry Venables, told Merson that he would not get into the team owing to his life style of heavy drinking. In his book, How Not to be a Professional Footballer, Merson refers to an incident in Chicago while on duty with England during the US Cup. After drinking he wandered off into the city on his own. Merson ended up…

In August 2006, he commenced a column for the official Arsenal FC magazine. He also continues to play for the England Legends, a 16-man squad of former internationals who have played Italy, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, and the rest of the world. Merson's main job is on Sky Sports, where he is a match reporter and regular pundit for Gillette Soccer Saturday. Merson is often the target of good-humoured jabs from Jeff Stelling and other members of the Soccer Saturday panel; for example, in his attempts to pronounce the names of foreign players. However, Stelling himself, in September 2016, attempted to have Merson agree with him that Ireland international Harry Arter (who had made his debut against England) should get an England call-up in the week Gareth Southgate took over in an emergency capacity following Sam Allardyce's dismissal. Merson writes a weekly column for the Daily Star's 'Seriously Football' pullout every Saturday and predicts scores for the weeks premier league games called 'Merson Predicts'. From the 2012–2015 season Merson co-hosted with John Fendley on the Sky Sports TV programme 'Fantasy Football Club'. From the start of the 2015 season Max Rushden took on co presenting after John Fendley returned to Soccer AM as a co-host. Fantasy Football Club is aired weekly on Friday evenings at 6pm. Both co-hosts also co-managed a fantasy team in the Sky Fantasy 'Celebrities' League. In 2019, Merson won the second series of the 5Star competition Celebs on the Farm. From…

Born in Harlesden, North-West London, Merson supported Chelsea growing up, and has remained a fan throughout his life. He has been married three times (to Lorraine, Louise and now Kate), and has eight children, including one set of twin girls. His first marriage crumbled under his recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism. One of his sons, Sam, is also a footballer, who was playing for non-league side Hanworth Villa as of 2025. In October 2011, Merson was involved in a car crash with a lorry on the M40 motorway near Warwick and arrested for drunk driving. While appearing on Harry's Heroes: The Full English, a 2019 ITV documentary, Merson opened up about how substance abuse and gambling have affected his life, and his continued struggles with addictions. He received praise for his candid discussion of the topic. In the second series, Merson confided in former Arsenal teammate, goalkeeper David Seaman, that he voluntarily attends Alcoholics Anonymous, including English-speaking meetings in Paris, during breaks in filming for ITV's Harry's Heroes S2.Ep1. Merson participated in the Mental Health Awareness Week. In January 2020, Merson spoke about how his drink, drug and gambling habits fuelled his struggles with mental health. In February 2024, Merson was probed by the Advertising Standards Authority for misconduct while promoting and advertising Supreme CBD, owned by ex-boxer Anthony Fowler. Fowler along with other celebrities including Merson, Matt Le Tissier and John…