Paul Merson – ruled and ruined by compulsions

The horrors and misery of a gambling addiction have been laid bare by former footballer and manager Paul Merson in a memoir, who has wrestled with alcohol and cocaine as well. A documentary showed his brain patterns light up when shown gambling images but not looking at happy families.  His habit has cost him £7 million and he hopes by talking of his problems to shine a light on a condition which causes one suicide a day at the moment. “This is a hideous disease, cunning, baffli