London, June 4 (ANI): Troubled former England football star Paul Gascoigne’s former ex-boss Terry Venables today sent him a heartfelt plea, asking him to stop drinking before he killed himself.

Stop drinking or youll kill yourself, The Sun quoted Venables, as saying.

Venables, who coached Gazza in his 1990s heyday, decided to speak out in The Sun in a bid to save his pal.

Something had to be done. I cant stand by and let it run until we all end up at his funeral, he said.

Gascoigne, 42, was taken to a hospital, which has not been named, under the Mental Health Act.

Police had held Gazza under the Mental Health Act on Sunday, but he was released on Monday after doctors ruled he was not suffering from mental illness.

Hours later he was treated by medics after collapsing drunk in a London hairdressers clinic.

He is thought to have agreed to the drastic action after repeated pleas by friends and family to tackle his problems.

The former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Lazio star has agreed to treatment before but repeatedly checked himself out only to continue his destructive behaviour.

He suffers from mental health problems, which are exacerbated by his alcoholic tendencies and has admitted considering suicide.

Gascoigne is thought to have experienced manic depression, paranoia, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, and a mild form of Tourettes Syndrome. (ANI)