:Tony Cascarino

Cascarino was born in St Paul's Cray, Kent, on 1 September 1962 to an Italian father and an English mother. Prior to his professional football career, he worked as a hairdresser and labourer.{{Cite web |title=PAST MASTERS - TONY CASCARINO - News - Gillingham |url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2013/march/past-masters---tony-cascarino/ |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com |language=en-gb}}

File:Cascarino and Sheringham.jpg, Cascarino and Teddy Sheringham scored 99 goals between them.{{cite web |title=Top Goal Scorers |url=http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Top%20Scorers.htm |work=Millwall History |access-date=28 August 2010 }}]]

Cascarino joined Gillingham in 1982 from Crockenhill, and according to Cascarino Gillingham donated tracksuits and training equipment to Crockenhill in lieu of a transfer fee.{{ cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/may/11/smalltalk.sportinterviews| title = Small Talk: Tony Cascarino | work = The Guardian | date = 11 May 2007 | access-date = 8 June 2008 | location=London | first=Nicky | last=Bandini}} He made his professional debut on 2 February 1982 in a 1–0 away league defeat to Burnley. His first goal for the Kent side came in his home debut on 13 February 1982 against Wimbledon, scoring the last goal in a 6–1 win having replaced an injured Dean White as substitute. Cascarino would later reveal that having not expected to be named in the matchday squad, he had consumed a "double Wimpey and chips and a Knickerbocker Glory" just before kick-off.{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |publisher=Simon & Schuster/TownHouse |year=2000 |isbn=1-903650-13-5 |location=London |pages=68–70}}

While with the Kent side, he scored 110 goals in all competitions, and was named in the PFA Third Division Team of the Year for three successive seasons.{{Cite book |last=Lynch |first=Tony |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |publisher=Random House |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-09-179135-3 |location=London |pages=145–146}}

He went on to play for Millwall – the club he supported as a boy. Millwall had missed an opportunity to sign Cascarino as a youngster and subsequently paid the Gills £225,000 to secure his services.{{cite web|url=http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Pre-Season3.htm|title=Lions Roaring into the Big Time}}

Cascarino signed for Aston Villa for £1.1m in March 1990, then a record transfer fee for the club.{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Gregg |date=2 July 2016 |title=Aston Villa: The transfers that didn't pay off |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-transfers-14-players-11549991 |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en}} His time with the Birmingham club was an unhappy one, and in July 1991 he signed for Celtic for a £1.1m fee, which was also a club record. In joining Celtic, he was managed by his former agent and Ireland teammate Liam Brady.{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |pages=118–119}}

After failing to establish himself with the Glasgow side Cascarino returned to England in February 1992 to sign for Chelsea in a swap deal involving Tom Boyd. Cascarino scored on his debut three days later, a 1–1 league draw at home to Crystal Palace. However, his time with the side was beset by injuries, with him registering only eight goals over 40 league appearances in two years.{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |pages=125}}

Cascarino signed for Marseille as a free agent in 1994. He ended as top scorer in the 1994–95 Ligue 2 season with 31 goals as the club won the league title but were prevented from promotion to Ligue 1 due to an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities and match-fixing scandals involving then-president Bernard Tapie. Cascarino, nicknamed "Tony Goal" by the Marseille Ultras,{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |pages=153}} repeated the feat the following season, scoring 30 goals as the club were promoted back to Ligue 1.

In December 1996, he signed for fellow Ligue 1 side Nancy, scoring a hat-trick in his second appearance, a 1–3 away win at Le Havre.{{Cite web |title=Le Havre AC - AS Nancy 1:3 (Ligue 1 1996/1997, 23. Round) |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/report/ligue-1-1996-1997-le-havre-ac-as-nancy/ |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=worldfootball.net |language=en}} The side were relegated to Ligue 2, but Cascarino would win the title and promotion in his first full season with the club the next year. Cascarino holds the Ligue 1 record for oldest player to score a hat-trick, which he did while playing for Nancy in a 3–0 win over Stade Rennais at age 37 years and 31 days.{{cite news |last1=BBC |title=Real Betis 3-2 Athletic Bilbao: Joaquin hits hat-trick aged 38 - BBC Sport |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50706426 |access-date=9 December 2019}}{{Cite web |title=AS Nancy - Stade Rennes 3:0 (Ligue 1 1999/2000, 9. Round) |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/report/ligue-1-1999-2000-as-nancy-stade-rennes/ |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=worldfootball.net |language=en}} In May 2000 he was awarded the Medaille d'Or by the city of Nancy in recognition of his contribution to the side.{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino. |pages=183}}

Cascarino ended his career with Red Star 93 in the third tier of French football, but terminated his contract with the club in August 2000 after just two appearances. He was offered a contract to return to Nancy but refused.{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino. |pages=198}}

Cascarino, who was born in England, represented the Republic of Ireland—qualifying through his adoptive Irish grandfather, Michael O'Malley, who was from Westport, County Mayo. He was also eligible to play for both Scotland and Italy because of his Scottish and Italian descent.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tony-cascarino-i-should-have-played-for-scotland-971967|title=Tony Cascarino: I Should Have Played For Scotland, Not Ireland|last=Thomas|first=Greig|date=20 March 2008|work=dailyrecord|access-date=2 April 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.unusualefforts.com/tony-cascarino-autobiography-reflections/|title=Tony Cascarino's life story shows us football players can be human - Unusual Efforts|date=8 February 2017|work=Unusual Efforts|access-date=1 April 2018|language=en-US}}{{cite web |url=https://lastanzabianca.net/2014/05/06/la-rivelazione-di-un-perdente-la-vita-segreta-di-tony-cascarino/ |title=La Rivelazione di un Perdente: La Vita Segreta di Tony Cascarino |publisher=lastanzabianca.net |language=it |date=6 May 2014 |access-date=11 January 2019 }}

He made his international debut against Switzerland in September 1985, during Ireland's ill-fated qualification campaign for the 1986 World Cup.{{Cite web|title=WORLD CUP 1986|url=http://www.allworldcup.narod.ru/1986/PROTOCOL/QUALIF/UEFA/G6/SUIVSIRL.HTM|access-date=27 June 2020|website=www.allworldcup.narod.ru}} Cascarino would go on to feature for Ireland in three major tournaments: Euro 1988, the 1990 World Cup and the 1994 World Cup.{{Cite web|title=Tony CASCARINO|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/ireland/tony-cascarino-10896/international-football-caps-for-ireland_a11151/|access-date=27 June 2020|website=Sporting Heroes}}

His last international game came against Turkey in late 1999, as Ireland failed to reach UEFA Euro 2000. He got into a brawl with a Turkish defender and left the pitch showing the scars of battle. This marked the end of an international career which had spanned 14 years at the highest level.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/1110/ireland_playoff.html |first=Ed |last=Leahy |title=Ireland's chequered play-off history |date=10 November 2011 |access-date=10 November 2011 |publisher=RTÉ Sport |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111080150/http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/1110/ireland_playoff.html |archive-date=11 November 2011 }}

In October 2000, Cascarino was the subject of national newspaper headlines when extracts from his upcoming autobiography were published in the Sunday Mirror.{{cite web|title=TONY'S OWN GOAL; I Did not qualify for Ireland. I Was Just a Fraud, a Fake Irishman|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TONY%27S+OWN+GOAL%3B+I+did+not+qualify+for+Ireland.+I+was+just+a+fraud,+a...-a066439420|publisher=Sunday Mirror |access-date=17 March 2014|date=30 October 2000}}

In it, he revealed that his mother told him in 1996 that she was adopted and therefore was not a blood relative to his Irish grandfather. Cascarino said in his autobiography: "I didn't qualify for Ireland. I was a fraud. A fake Irishman". The FAI's Chief Executive Bernard O'Byrne stated that he was shocked by the announcement and Cascarino's former international manager Jack Charlton questioned why he came forward with the information. Cascarino revealed that Republic of Ireland teammate Andy Townsend had advised him to keep quiet about the situation.

Four days after the newspaper exclusive, in November 2000, the Football Association of Ireland issued a short statement: "The FAI are satisfied that Tony Cascarino was always eligible to become a citizen of the Republic of Ireland and was, therefore, always eligible to play for Ireland."{{cite web|title=FAI: OUR TONY IS NOT A FRAUD; Cas always eligible.|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-66560635.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611091440/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-66560635.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|publisher=The Mirror|via=Highbeam|access-date=17 March 2014|date=3 November 2000}} The Irish Independent reported that Cascarino was given a 'passport of restricted validity' in 1985 and that his mother's name, Theresa O'Malley, was in fact entered in the Foreign Births Register in the Department of Foreign Affairs prior to Cascarino's international debut for the Republic of Ireland.{{cite web|last=Corcoran|first=Jody|title=Revealed: New twist in Cascarino row|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-new-twist-in-cascarino-row-26257148.html|publisher=Independent.ie|access-date=17 March 2014|date=24 November 2000}}{{cite web|title=Cas mother was Irish but didn't realise.(News)|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-66622140.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611091438/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-66622140.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|publisher=The Mirror|access-date=17 March 2014|date=6 November 2000}}

Since retiring from football, Cascarino has become a semi-professional poker player, having appeared in the television series Celebrity Poker Club and commentating on the PartyPoker Poker Den. He has become something of a cult figure and was referenced in the song "All Your Kayfabe Friends" by Welsh band Los Campesinos! where the singer tells that "You asked if I'd be anyone from history / Fact or fiction, dead or alive / I said I'd be Tony Cascarino, circa 1995."{{Cite web|url = http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/All-Your-Kayfabe-Friends-lyrics-Los-Campesinos/CAA1C21B2E0800724825792500111744|title = All Your Kayfabe Friends lyrics - Los Campesinos!|access-date = 3 August 2013|website = sing365.com}}

Cascarino joined talkSPORT as a pundit in 2002 and presented the afternoon Drive Time show with Patrick Kinghorn between 2003 and 2005. He was involved in an on-air bust-up with Kinghorn after the latter remarked that the married Cascarino had been "chasing that 21-year-old around the office", which prompted Cascarino to lunge at Kinghorn and punch him. The pair had to be pulled apart by production staff.[http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/football-banter/Cascarino-s-on-air-punch-up-Brazil-s-off-air-p-ss-ups-and-Rodney-Marsh-s-depression-10-true-Talksport-tales-article194807.html Cascarino's on-air punch-up, Brazil's off-air p*ss-ups and Rodney Marsh's depression: 10 true Talksport tales] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614182718/http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/football-banter/Cascarino-s-on-air-punch-up-Brazil-s-off-air-p-ss-ups-and-Rodney-Marsh-s-depression-10-true-Talksport-tales-article194807.html |date=14 June 2013 }} Cascarino left the station in 2005 but soon returned as a pundit and has co-presented the Weekend Sports Breakfast since 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.talksport1089.com/talksportnews2.html|title=Talksport1089.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923191824/http://www.talksport1089.com/talksportnews2.html|archive-date=23 September 2012}}

In 2011, he was a winning participant in the Celebrity Bainisteoir reality series. Managing Killeshin GAA Club of County Laois, Cascarino's club won the season 4 competition,[http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0715/celebritybainisteoir.html "RTÉ's Celebrity Bainisteoirs announced"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817232359/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0715/celebritybainisteoir.html |date=17 August 2011 }}. RTÉ Ten. 15 July 2011. beating Paul Gogarty's Oughterard team after extra-time in the final.[http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1107/celebritybainisteoir.html "Cascarino wins Celebrity Bainisteoir"]. RTÉ Ten. 7 November 2011.Butler, Laura. [https://archive.today/20120801064100/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/soccer-star-tony-wins-celeb-bainisteoir-title-2927560.html "Soccer star Tony wins Celeb Bainisteoir title"]. Evening Herald. 7 November 2011.

Cascarino entered into a relationship with his third wife, Jo, in 2009 and their son, Rocco, was born in 2015; they married in Mauritius in November 2019.Cascarino, A. "Weekend Talking Points", The Times, Monday 25 November 2019

The twin France women's national football team players Delphine and Estelle Cascarino are not related to Tony Cascarino, although they are often asked if they are:{{cite web |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Estelle-et-delphine-cascarino-a-deux-c-est-mieux/708762 |title=Estelle et Delphine Cascarino, à deux c'est mieux|publisher=L'Equipe |language=fr |date=19 September 2017 |access-date=7 November 2017}} "I am often asked if I am from his family, that is not the case ... I know that he notably played for Nancy and that he is Irish. Me, I'm not Irish at all! (laughs)"{{cite news |last1=Tan |first1=Nazar |title=Delphine Cascarino : sa sœur, ses parents.. Tout savoir de l'attaquante |url=https://www.linternaute.com/sport/biographie/2220283-delphine-cascarino-sa-soeur-ses-parents-tout-savoir-de-l-attaquante/ |access-date=24 July 2022 |publisher=L'Internaute |date=23 June 2019 |language=French}}

Cascarino produced an autobiography in 2000, Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino,{{cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |publisher=Simon & Schuster/TownHouse |year=2000 |isbn=1-903650-13-5 |location=London}} which received great critical acclaim.{{cite news|url=http://books.guardian.co.uk/bestof2000/story/0,,412875,00.html |title= Books of the Year: The reading list |access-date=6 November 2007 | work=The Guardian | location=London | date=18 December 2000}}

The book detailed his love of gambling, particularly playing all forms of poker, and revealed that his career had been blighted by crippling self-doubt, which he summarised as the "little voice".{{cite book | title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino | page =22 }}

He also revealed that during his time at Marseille, he and many other of the club's players were injected by club president Bernard Tapie's personal physician with an unknown substance. The physiotherapist at the time insisted the substance was legal and would provide an "adrenaline boost". Cascarino said most players accepted the injections{{cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |page=152}} and that "it definitely made a difference: I felt sharper, more energetic, hungrier for the ball". He also later admitted suffering from depression.

:Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cascarino goal.

Millwall

• Football League Second Division: 1987–88

Marseille

• Ligue 2: 1994–95

Nancy

• Ligue 2: 1997–98

Individual

• PFA Third Division Team of the Year: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87
• Gillingham Player of the Season: 1986–87{{Cite book |title=Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino |publisher= |year= |isbn= |location= |pages=85}}

• List of Republic of Ireland international footballers born outside the Republic of Ireland

{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• {{IMDb name|1342037|Tony Cascarino}}
• {{Soccerbase}}
• [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=3799 Tony Cascarino Hendon Mob poker tournament results]
• {{LFP|cascarino-tony}}

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