Hardman Vinnie Jones' journey from FA Cup winner to Hollywood stardom

Many people dream of being a professional footballer or a Hollywood actor, but most can't achieve either. Then there is Vinnie Jones, the man who can do both.

Jones achieved eternal football fame in 1987 when, at the age of 22, in a match between Wimbledon and Newcastle, he unhesitatingly grabbed and squeezed Paul Gascoigne's t e s t i c l e s.

The expression on the face of the talented Gascoigne made it clear that Vinnie Jones was not holding back. On that day, Jones gained a reputation as a tough kid, something he embraced and later built on throughout his troubled career.

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Vinnie Jones was born in Watford, England, but Irish and Welsh blood also flows through his veins and he would later play for Wales.

Whether genetically or temperamentally, Vinnie Jones went down in Premier League history as one of the dirtiest, but also one of the most loved players.

Vinnie Jones was nasty, yes, but he was honest too. He didn't hide. If he was going to make your life miserable that day, he would let you know, as he did with Paul Gascoigne.

"He came up to me and said, 'My name is Vinnie Jones, I'm a gypsy, I make a lot of money. I'll rip your ear off with my teeth and spit it out on the grass. You're on your own, fat boy! "

Jones threw these fine words at Paul Gascoigne. That's what the second one said himself in 'Our Gazza: The Untold Tales'. Jones didn't go so far as to rip his ear off, but he grabbed it by the private parts without any embarrassment.

At another stage of the match, Vinnie Jones would again warn Gazza, "I've got to go take a corner now, but I'll be right back, fat guy."

At Wimbledon FC, Jones was a key member of the 'Crazy Gang', in a squad where he threw crazy punches and shared the dressing room with spirited players such as Dennis Wise, Laurie Cunningham and Dave Beasant.

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If the 'Crazy Gang' were aiming for cult status, then the 1988 FA Cup win against Liverpool only added to their legend.

In the same FA Cup, Vinnie Jones also did not hesitate to celebrate a goal with Andy Thorn as if they were smoking. No one doubted that they actually did that off the field.

Vinnie Jones was a spectacle on the field. The defensive midfielder was not only hard on the game, but also played tough psychological games with which he leveled his opponents to the ground.

"When I found out an opponent had been dumped by his wife, I tried to remind him on the field," he admitted in his 1998 memoir Vinnie: The Autobiography.

And what if the trash talk didn't work? Then it was time to get physical. "What I like most is an opponent's bones that crack when he gets injured," said Vinnie Jones unabashedly.

Vinnie Jones has the dubious honor of being the player with the second-highest number of red cards (12) in Premier League history. Only Roy Keane was sent off the field more often.

Another thing for the record books: the day Jones was booked just three seconds after coming onto the field. He then played for Chelsea and was ticketed for a tackle on Sheffield Wednesday striker Dane Whitehouse.

Jones turned every game into a battle and it took its toll on the player, who had to receive stitches nearly 100 times for injuries sustained on the pitch during his career.

But Vinnie Jones was fearless on the field. In 1995, when he played at Wimbledon, he had to be in goal against Newcastle. He conceded three goals in 30 minutes and Wimbledon lost 6-1. However, his performance as a goalkeeper was more than creditable and many people still remember it.

Three years later, in 1992, Vinnie Jones presented the compilation video 'Soccer's Hard Men', which featured some of British football's most aggressive moves and received widespread criticism.

Even Sam Hamman, the chairman of Wimbledon, the club he played for, called him 'Mosquito Brain'. That nickname would haunt him for a while.

The 1998/1999 season would be Vinnie Jones' last as a footballer. He hung up his shoes at the age of 34 with Queens Park Rangers.

That same year, Jones made his acting debut in Guy Ritchie's memorable film 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', playing Big Chris.

Vinnie Jones has not stopped working since then and successfully alternates between film and television. He now has an even more muscular physique than when he played football, and crawls into his typical role of tough and intimidating villain. Jones simply continues the role he played on the football field for years.

What is remarkable, however, is that despite Jones' reputation as a psychopath, the general public loves the ex-footballer both on and off the field. This undoubtedly has to do with the loads of charisma he exudes.

In 2010, he even took part in the UK version of 'Celebrity Big Brother'. He placed third behind winner Alex Reid and Dane Bowers. The photo shows Jones next to George Best.

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Today, Vinnie Jones continues to expand his filmography, which already has more than 100 projects.