Paul Gascoigne is set to make his return to football after a journey for cigarettes led him to meet taxi driver and Abbey FC manager Chris Foster – who convinced the former England international to sign for the Hayward Sunday League side.

The 47-year-old enjoyed a glittering professional career with Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers, but has been plagued by health issues related to alcoholism since he last played professional football a decade ago for then-League Two side Boston United.

But now he is set to play again after the Bournemouth Football Association confirmed his registration has been received, and could make his debut against either Rentech Repairs on 7 September or ARC Cleaning on 14 September.

Foster told Bournemouth’s Daily Echo: “I’ve picked him up a few times and spoken to him about signing for us. Although he laughed it off, he didn’t say no.

“I dropped him off at his flat a couple of weeks ago and he asked me to go to the shop to get him some cigarettes. When I got back, I was invited in and we had a good chat about various things.

“I gave him the cigarettes and pulled out the signing-on form at the same time. He signed it there and then. I was chuffed to bits and ran to the car as fast as I could. I was skipping like a 14-year-old! I texted some of the other lads and told them I had a real scoop of a signing. They thought it was either Taffy Richardson or Tommy Killick.”

Asked whether Gascoigne would have an automatic starting role, Foster said: “If he feels he is fit enough to play, he can play wherever he likes – and that includes in goal.

“I have said I will put a fixture sheet through his door and have offered to pick him up whenever he is willing to come. I don’t know what his availability will be.

“My ambition is to get him there for every game. He might play every game or he might play one. It would be an honour to have him involved.”