Stuck in a Moment: The Ballad of Paul Vaessen

Paul Vaessen, a Bermondsey boy who rose from working-class roots to fame in Turin, experienced unforgiving injuries, loss of form, and merciless barracking by his own fans. Three years later, he was on the scrapheap, descending into the world of drugs. He spent his lonely final days reliving his moment of glory with anybody willing to listen.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 23 April 2018
Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd

For some players, the final whistle marks the beginning of a profoundly challenging chapter in their lives. Some struggle to cope, resorting to replacing one addiction with another. The story of Paul Vaessen, arguably the most powerful and tragic among them all, remains relatively unknown. Paul, a Bermondsey boy, rose from humble beginnings to instant fame in Turin in April 1980, when, at the age of 18, he scored one of the most dramatic goals in Arsenal's illustrious history. However, his journey would soon reveal the fragility and unpredictability of the football world. Within just three years, Paul faced relentless injuries, a decline in form, and merciless criticism from his own fans. Tragically, he was discarded by the game he had dedicated his young life to, and he quickly descended into the only world he knew: drugs. In his lonely final days, Paul relished reliving his moment of glory, that fleeting instance when he had become stuck. He sought solace in sharing his story with anyone who would listen, hoping to find some form of redemption amidst the darkness.

Weight: 350g
Dimension: 142 x 216 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781785313790