Coming successfully to the end of his first, full, dry season, he still has the humble air of a man drinking diet Pepsi in the last chance saloon. Merson’s public admission of drug-taking necessitated a very open process of rehabilitation if he was to escape a lifetime ban from the jumpy FA. But there is a touching sincerity about his contention that he “brought himself into disrepute, not the game”.There seems to be no reason to doubt Paul Merson’s assertion that he is now a “different person” to the Racing Post-fixated beer boy of Highbury legend. Detailing the course of not just one but three addictions – to gambling, alcohol and latterly cocaine – and with chapters from his long-suffering wife Lorraine and his superbly-named counsellor, Stephen Stephens, Rock Bottom was the first big recovery document of the Loaded generation (no doubt there will be plenty more before all the chickens of Nineties hedonism have come home to roost).
For all the assistance supplied in its writing by Daily Mirror sports journalist Harry Harris, there is something acutely authentic about the Merson memoir. The inclusion of a picture of Paul “doing a Merson” – the trademark celebratory pint-glass raising gesture “which now makes me cringe” – would be self-lacerating enough, without the addition (“Even worse!”) of Loaded’s charmless snap of his oldest son, Charlie, aping him.

In the course of this interviewer’s arrival, the light green carpet in Paul Merson’s very tidy front room acquires a couple of suspicious brown flecks. The acme of uncomplaining affability, Paul Merson dabs at them with a piece of kitchen roll, and as he is on his knees sniffing the carpet, the photographer jokingly makes as if to take his picture. Thankfully, the prognosis is clear – the remains are of mineral rather than animal origin – and no photo is taken. Amid an atmosphere of silent rejoicing, Paul makes a cup of tea.

It’s very peaceful where Paul Merson lives – in a nice, big, mock-Tudor house, just outside St Albans. Does he like a quiet life? “Oh yeah,” a wry smile, “I didn’t use to.” The tranquil vibration is certainly far from the boozy whirlpool of domestic dysfunction regretfully recounted in the 28- year-old Arsenal star’s book Rock Bottom. To invite the media into your life in any way at all is risky. To invite them into your home is to make a blind date with destiny.

Substitutes: Medley, Firbank, Hassam, Donohue.St Helens: Prescott, Arnold, Gibbs, Newlove, Sullivan, Hammond, Goulding, Perelini, Cunningham, Leathem, Joynt, Booth, Northey. Substitutes: Martyn, Hunte, Matautia, Pickavance.Referee: S Cummings (Widnes).. When the former St Helens forward Bernard Dwyer spotted a channel through the defence for one try and Paul darted over for another, Bradford had their potentially match-winning lead.”I thought Graham had played outstandingly in the first half, but our coach, Shaun McRae, told me to keep at him, because he would crack,” Goulding said. When he did, it was a disintegration that took his team’s hopes with it.”He is feeling very disappointed,” the Bulls’ coach, Brian Smith, said.