Last weekend, British football mourned the passing of George Best, a footballing genius who spent most of his latter years mounting an unsuccessful battle against alcoholism.

Today, one of Best's kindred spirits, Paul Gascoigne, will lead his Kettering side into action against Barrow as he attempts to rebuild his life after his own lengthy battle against the bottle.

Two addictive personalities with two very similar addictions. Yet will the end result inevitably be the same?

Is Gascoigne poised to become the new George Best, with his playing days losing their lustre through an alcohol-induced haze? Or could a rekindled love affair with football prevent one of England's greatest midfielders becoming another example of the game's unerring ability to ravage its former stars?

When it comes to assessing the regenerative powers of football, there are few better commentators than former England and Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson.

After being removed from his position at St James' Park last September, most observers expected the 72-year-old to ease himself into retirement.

Instead, he has poured all of his energies into securing a return to the game. Last month he was linked with the vacant managerial position at Hearts and, earlier this week, he was discussing the possibility of a director of football role with Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric. Clearly, the football bug continues to bite.

"If I'm honest, I've hated not being involved in the game," said Robson, who took England to within a penalty kick of the World Cup final in 1990. "I've tried to adapt, but I've found it very difficult.

"The Saturday afternoons are the worst - but I miss the day-to-day involvement in every aspect of the game.

"I'd know if it was time to pack it in, but it isn't. While I still think I've got something to offer - and I'm totally convinced I have - I know there's another job in me.

"I've still got the energy and I'll always have the experience. I've had offers from a lot of different quarters, but I won't take a job that I don't really want.

"I'm biding my time, but I miss not being involved in football. When you walk away, you leave a gaping big hole that's very hard to fill."

As Best found to his cost, filling the void can prove just about impossible. Towards the end of his career, the Irishman did everything he could to avoid hanging up his boots.

After walking out of Old Trafford, he spent time at Fulham, Stockport, Hibernian, Bournemouth and three clubs in the fledgling North American Soccer League in a vain attempt to cling to the successes of the past.

Retirement, when it came, was brutal. From being a footballing idol, Best was forced to confront his fallibility - becoming more apparent as his alcohol consumption increased - and come to terms with his mortality.

The sole overriding purpose that had dragged him from a nondescript Belfast council estate to the world's greatest footballing arenas was wrenched from his grasp.

In its place, there was a vacuum, a vast, gaping hole that even the continued attention of the British press could not fill.

Whereas the public had once marvelled at his skill and vision, now they were confronted by tales of drinking binges, a string of one-night stands and a litany of abuse.

Best's lowest point came in 1984 when he was imprisoned for two months for drink-driving and evading arrest, but the next 20 years would see him stumble from one crisis to the next. Without the cohesive force of football, his life fell apart.

"Thankfully, we are still able to remember George for everything he did on the pitch," said Robson. "He was one of the greatest footballers that ever lived and he will always be remembered for that.

"But it was obvious that he found it hard to cope without football. Something like that affects different people in different ways. Because of everything George had already been through, his answer was to turn to drink.

"I think he would admit that he made mistakes but, at that time, there wasn't really anybody who could help him. He never had the chance to succeed as a manager - maybe things would have been different if he had.

"There's a lesson there I think. Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney are probably the closest we've had to George - let's hope they'll learn from some of George's mistakes."

Rooney's age means his retirement is still some way away, but Gascoigne is already wrestling with a loss of the limelight.

The end of his career was similar to Best's, a trawl through assorted footballing backwaters that took him to English strugglers Boston, Chinese novices Gansu Tianma and Portuguese unknowns Algarve United.

He was reported to be close to bankruptcy and, most worryingly of all, there were signs that his drinking was getting out of control.

But just as Gascoigne's life looked to be on an irreversible downward spiral, October brought a route to redemption.

The one-time England international became manager of Conference North side Kettering. Hardly a position to attract the managerial greats but, crucially, a role that brought a renewed sense of direction.

"I spoke to Paul recently and he's enjoying it very much," said Robson. "He needs to be back in football and I think he'd be the first to admit that.

"For someone like Paul, giving up the game isn't easy. He's found it very hard, but this has given him a new lease of life.

"He told me he's going to buy a house near Kettering and he's determined to make this work. He's the type of person who needs to be giving something 100 per cent - getting back into football allows him to do that.

"Football is the only thing he knows. Whether he succeeds or not as a manager, only time will tell. But at least he's keeping himself busy as he tries to find out.

"George suffered from that. He dropped out of the game and never got back in.

"For a while, it looked as though that might happen with Paul and that would have been a crying shame.

"I think everyone who knows Paul is desperate for him to succeed."

It was Bill Shankly who famously compared playing football with a matter of life or death. Given the examples of Gascoigne and Best, perhaps he should have described not playing the game in an identical way.

* Sir Bobby Robson's autobiography 'Farewell But Not Goodbye' is available now.