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Paul Gascoigne has warned Newcastle United they will never succeed until they stop selling their best players.

Looking in fantastic shape after health issues earlier this year, the former Toon midfielder told a packed Tyneside talk-in that United owner Mike Ashley won’t win any plaudits simply for making the Magpies debt-free.

Gazza was sensationally sold to Tottenham in 1988 for a then British record £2m, but says he only left St James’ Park because of a lack of ambition after controversial sales such as Peter Beardsley to Liverpool and Chris Waddle to the White Hart Lane club.

Now, with fans braced for the sale of Yohan Cabaye, and even Alan Pardew admitting publicly he fears his top stars will be sold, Gascoigne does not want to see his old club go into decline again.

Gazza’s departure in 1988 kicked off a chain of events that resulted in relegation from the old First Division.

Expressing his concern on his appearance at Hedworth Hall, Gazza said: “I didn’t want to leave Newcastle. But why stay when they are selling everybody?

“They are still doing it now. They keep selling their best players.

“They let Chris Waddle go, they let Peter Beardsley go . . . you want to play with the best.”

The current United regime picked up £35m for Andy Carroll two years ago and fans were also left aggrieved when top scorer Demba Ba was allowed to leave for Chelsea thanks to a release clause in his contract.

Gascoigne thinks United should have done more to keep Ba, saying: “Look at it now, why get rid of Demba Ba? You see in the papers that Mike Ashley is happy that Newcastle are the only club not in debt.

“So what? He’s got the money. Man United are in debt but they keep winning things.

“I really feel for the fans. You are the ones who turn up in the rain and scrape your pennies together to watch Newcastle United.”

Cabaye has attracted the attention of Man United and has been scouted as one of the last targets of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

It was a move that Gazza had the chance to make himself back in 1988, but opted for Tottenham because he didn’t want to upset United fans by signing for a northern club.

He says: “The Newcastle fans told me not to go to Man United. I love the fans but I knew they would lynch me if I went there.”

And speaking on the pride of starring for the black and whites, Gazza added: “Scoring for Newcastle United is an unbelievable feeling anyway – even if it’s a tap in.”