Paul Merson, the former footballer looking for success on Strictly after rollercoaster career

The ex-footballer enjoyed a successful career on the field and then as a pundit, while also battling numerous personal demons

Paul Merson is competing on Strictly this year, making him only the fifth footballer to ever appear on the hit BBC show.

Merson, a 56-year-old father of eight, will follow in the footsteps of fellow footballers John Barnes, Robbie Savage, Alex Scott and his ex-Arsenal teammate Tony Adams when he puts on his dancing shoes for the 22nd season of the long-running BBC show.

Merson began his football career in 1984 when he signed for Arsenal as an apprentice and eventually made his debut for the Gunners in a 3-0 win over Manchester City on 22 November 1986.

During the 1988/89 season, Merson became a regular fixture of the team's right wing and was an integral part of the squad that famously won the First Division title on the last day at Anfield. Success on the football field continued to come thick and fast with another league title in the 1990/91 season, an FA Cup and League Cup double in the 1992/93 season. A year later he helped Arsenal secure their first European trophy in 24 years as they defeated Parma to claim the European Cup Winners Cup.

Merson had become a regular player in the England squad during this period, making his debut against Germany in September 1991 after being called up by manager Graham Taylor. He participated in Euro 1992 in Sweden and was also part of England’s failed qualifying campaign for the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Just months after Arsenal’s Cup Winners Cup triumph Merson opened up publicly about his addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling, issues that have blighted his career over many years.

Paul Merson lifting the League Cup and Man of the Match award at the 1993 League Cup Final (Getty Images)

Merson continued to be a regular feature in Arsenal's first team until 1997 but at the end of the 1996/97 season was sold to relegated Middlesbrough for £4.5m, a then-record transfer fee for a non-Premier League club. Despite dropping a division his abilities only continued to flourish at Middlesbrough where he helped them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

His form saw new England manager Glenn Hoddle call him up to the 1998 World Cup squad, where he featured in the famous 2-2 draw with Argentina in the second round, scoring a penalty in the shoot-out. This would be his last action for England, bringing his international career to an end at 21 caps and 3 goals.

Merson went on to play for Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Walsall, the latter of which saw him become the West Midland's side's manager. His time at the Saddler's was blighted by more addiction issues and a rift with his then wife. Merson eventually announced his retirement from football in March 2006, following a brief stint at non-league side Tamworth.

Merson's main line of work now is as a pundit and he has been a regular part of Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday since 2006.

In more recent years, he has spoken more openly about his struggles with addiction, writing several books on the subject, the most recent being 2021's Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery, which documented his 30-year battle with addiction and mental health issues.