Speaking to fans at a charity event, the former Newcastle, Rangers and Tottenham star explained how he “played a blinder” after the first time he touched it, so it became a pre-match ritual.
“He made mine look small,” chuckled the Geordie. “I went ‘Les, Les please, please let me have one f***ing hold of that thing’.
“So he let me have a hold of it. And I went out played a blinder and scored, right. I thought ‘f***ing brilliant’.”
The 50-year-old was speaking at an ‘Evening with Gazza’ at Nine Sports Bar in Newcastle.
The event was being held to raise money for the Jay Lennon Foundation, which was set up in the name of Gazza’s nephew following his death last year.
Gascoigne spent five years alongside striker Ferdinand with England between 1993 and 1998.
“Every time we played for England, Les went ‘hurry up and get it over with Gazza'."
For Les’s sake, we hope he didn’t try to thank him after the game.
