'I’ve signed that picture for John Travolta, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Sting, and Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols': Vinnie Jones reveals he STILL gets asked to sign iconic photo of him grabbing Paul Gascoigne 30 years on

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Wimbledon hardman Vinnie Jones opened up on that famous photograph with Paul Gascoigne in the 1980s, in a candid joint-interview with the former Newcastle, Tottenham and England midfielder.

The pair were reunited on talkSPORT to recall the famous incident where Jones, in a bid to get the better of a talented Gascoigne, grabbed between the legs of his opponent in what became one of the iconic images of the era.

And yet 30 years on, Jones, now based in the US as an actor and producer, reveals he is still asked to sign the photo for stars such as Mel Gibson, John Travolta, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Sting, and Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols. 

Jones, then of Wimbledon, reveals he is still asked to this day to sign the photo for celebrities

For Gascoigne, he recalled the shriek he let out but says he and Jones are now good friends

'I loved the photo – I had it done in oils! I’m very proud of that performance that day,' Jones said. 

'For something like that 30 years on, there aren’t many days where there isn’t a reference or it doesn’t come up on Google.

'I’ve signed that picture for Mel Gibson, John Travolta, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Sting, and Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols. There isn’t a poor man or rich man in the country who hasn’t asked for that picture signed.'

Vinnie Jones and Paul Gascoigne sat down 30 years on to reflect on this iconic photograph

Gascoigne, it now emerges, was the talk of the Wimbledon dressing room long before he came face-to-face with Jones on the pitch.

He was a rising star in the English game and given he 'treated the ball like a diamond', he often made his markers look rather silly.  

But when Jones heard there was a circus atmosphere in the crowd around Gascoigne in the warm-up, he became possessed with ensuring he got the better of him.

'Gazza went out early and there was a frenzy,' Jones continued. 'I used to go out late but some of our lads were out there. Girls were running on with roses, chocolates and everything else and something snapped in me. 

'I thought I could be the laughing stock of this game. What if he scores four goals? What if he runs the game? Something snapped in me so I never went out. 

'I didn’t want to go out because I thought when I see him I want to kill him, I want to smash him.'