After joining Aston Villa in 1998, Merson went on to become club captain and played for the team in the 2000 FA Cup final, the last to be held at the original Wembley Stadium.

Born on 20 March 1968 in Harlesden, North West London, Merson started his career at Arsenal, joining the club as an apprentice in 1984.

After a loan spell at Brentford, then under manager Frank McLintock, he made his debut for the Gunners on 22 November 1986 against Manchester City, and gradually established himself in George Graham's successful Arsenal side of the late 1980s.

Merson scored ten times that season, made his debut for the England U21 team, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year.

[5] The Football Association arranged for Merson to undergo a three-month rehabilitation programme and he returned to the side in February 1995, just before the dismissal of George Graham as manager.

In a somewhat surprising move, at the end of the 1996–97 Premiership campaign, in which Arsenal finished third, Merson was sold to relegated Middlesbrough in a £4.5million deal – making him the most expensive player ever signed by a non-Premiership club.

Merson played a key creative role in the Villa side and helped them to the FA Cup Final in 2000, where they lost 1–0 to Chelsea.

[11] In February 2004, Merson admitted himself to the Sierra Tucson Clinic in Arizona to seek help for his gambling addiction under the advice and financial backing of the PFA, and missed several key games whilst Walsall slipped in the league from mid table mediocrity into the relegation zone.

Merson led a bid to retain Division One status, but was hindered by a last-minute penalty against Crystal Palace, and eventually relegated after a 3–2 victory against Rotherham United whilst having to rely on Stoke City beating Gillingham on the final day.

[12] On 28 March 2012, he made a one-off appearance for Mid Wales Football League side Welshpool Town, playing alongside fellow Sky Sports pundit Chris Kamara against Newbridge-on-Wye.

[14] In December 2019, Merson joined Hanworth Villa in the Combined Counties League Premier Division,[15] making two appearances for the Villains in total.

Taylor's successor, Terry Venables, told Merson that he would not get into the team owing to his life style of heavy drinking.

[citation needed] In his book, How Not to be a Professional Footballer, Merson refers to an incident in Chicago while on duty with England during the US Cup.

Merson held the distinction of being the only player in England's 1998 FIFA World Cup squad not to play for a top flight club.

Merson's main job is on Sky Sports, where he is a match reporter and regular pundit for Gillette Soccer Saturday.

Merson is often the target of good-humoured jabs from Jeff Stelling and other members of the Soccer Saturday panel; for example, in his attempts to pronounce the names of foreign players.

[citation needed] From the 2012–2015 season Merson co-hosted with John Fendley on the Sky Sports TV programme 'Fantasy Football Club'.

[25][26] Born in Harlesden, North West London,[27] Merson supported Chelsea growing up, and has remained a fan throughout his career.

[30] While appearing on Harry's Heroes: The Full English, a 2019 ITV documentary, Merson opened up about how substance abuse and gambling have affected his life, and his continued struggles with addictions.

[31] In the second series Merson confided in former Arsenal teammate, goalkeeper David Seaman, that he voluntarily attends Alcoholics Anonymous, including English speaking meetings in Paris, during breaks in filming for ITV's Harry's Heroes: Euro...Having a Laugh, football tour S2.Ep1.

[36] Fowler along with other celebrities including Merson, Matt Le Tissier and John Hartson have all been investigated and issued with a warning by the ASA.

The investigation also concluded that the posts made by these celebrities were making unlawful medical claims about the use of CBD, which is prohibited by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.