London, Dec 6 : Troubled footballer Paul Gascoigne has paid 215,000 pounds as tax in order to avoid bankruptcy.

Gazza, 41, who had earlier botched in making returns for two years, was given a bankruptcy hearing last month, which demanded him to pay up until January.

Thus, Gazza was forced to sell of his overseas properties to clear his debts, after which the Inland Revenue’s bankruptcy petition was dismissed.

“Paul is really delighted this episode is now behind him,” The Sun quoted Gazza’s lawyer Craig Montgomery, as saying.

The footballer was once worth 14million pounds but he blew much of it on booze, gambling, drugs and rehab. (ANI)