Kevin Keegan believes Paul Gascoigne, his former boot boy, will emerge from his latest personal crisis a stronger man. The Newcastle United manager hopes that Gascoigne's detention under the Mental Health Act could be a turning point for the troubled former England international, and revealed he had spoken to the 40-year-old's family to offer his support.

"It's sad, but maybe what has happened now will be a turning point for him, and instead of looking on it as something that is really bad, this might be the best thing," Keegan said. "I have talked with his Dad and one of his sisters and I know it looks negative, but I think it is a massive positive for Paul Gascoigne from all the information I have had.

"This is a good thing for him and although in the short term, it does not look that way, in the long term, I think it will prove to be really important in the life of Paul Gascoigne."

Gascoigne was emerging from the ranks at St James' Park as Keegan was leading the fight for promotion back to the top flight in 1983-84, and Keegan remembers him well. "He was my boot boy when I was a player here back in 1983-84 - and not a very good boot boy. He lost one of my boots, and I was scoring quite a lot of goals that season, so I can remember giving him a bit of a run-over for that. He wanted to prove to his mates that he was my boot boy. We as a club will do everything we can to help. His family know that, we have talked with them, and we can help a lot."

Gary Mabbutt has urged the "football family" to rally round his troubled former Tottenham Hotspur team-mate. "Football always talks about being the football family," Mabbutt said. "In this country you have the Football Association, the Premier League, the Football League, and you have the PFA, the managers' association the referees' association. At the moment, one of that football family's most talented sons needs desperate help."

Mabbutt believes Gascoigne has struggled to cope since he retired, but believes he can still play a role in the game. "The problem Paul has been having is trying to fill the void that his playing career has left," he said. "Everyone that knows Paul will be very saddened by yesterday's news. Paul always had football - every morning when he woke up he used to love going to training and going to play games.

"He does a lot of charity stuff and it is also well documented that he went over to America into rehab again. But the thing that Paul needs is get focused and concentrated on something else, hopefully within the game of football."

Meanwhile, Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager who played against him in the 1991 FA Cup final, says he is praying Gascoigne finds peace. "We all send our best to Paul. It's obviously sad, but we pray from everyone from Sunderland that he pulls through okay because no-one likes to see that.

"That is a problem, particularly with a lot of footballers when you stop playing, there is a massive gap in your life. We all pray that Paul finds a bit of peace and serenity because he deserves it."

David Moyes, the Everton manager, has revealed his shock at Gascoigne's situation. "I do hope that things start working out better for Gazza," he said. "He is a player I know well, he was here when I took over.

"He used to phone me and text me a lot, he was someone I spoke a lot to when he was here, and since. He has been around the club a lot even after he left. I just hope he gets over the situation he is in now.

"He is a good man, a good person and was always willing to help others. Everyone at this club will tell you that. When I have been around him he has proved to be a real gent. We all here, hope he gets the help he needs."