The Goodison Gazza

Back in 1992, Kenny earned the title of "man of the match" in his first Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool. He was being heralded as a boy wonder of the beautiful game, a once-in-a-generation talent. The same would be said of fellow teen Evertonian Wayne Rooney nearly a decade later. But while Wayne navigated the pressure of fame to carve out a successful career (not without a few setbacks), Kenny was not so lucky. In this frank memoir, The Goodison Gazza, Kenny - described by The Guardian as "the No1 lost talent in football" - opens up about his colourful life in a way he never has before. Raised in a deprived part of Liverpool, he had been grifting since he was a child and almost missed out on his big break after being caught stealing a goat from gypsies. So when his footballing career took off, he was desperate to make it a success. However, post-match drinks with teammates soon led to cocaine-fuelled benders with his "million new mates" - and, after an injury left him needing an operation, his self-destructive behaviour only got worse. He stole a teammate's car for a joyride, gave match tickets to touts, went boozing with Gazza and fought with Vinnie Jones. In 1994 he was sacked by Everton for professional misconduct, then axed by Oldham Athletic a year later. He spent the following two decades at rock bottom, strung out on drugs, suffering depression, serving time behind bars, and - for one particularly bad year - even going on the run from police in Spain. The worst came when he tried to take his own life - and very nearly succeeded; a story he is sharing for the first time in this powerful no-holds-barred mea cupla of memoir.