Paul McGrath (footballer)

For other people named Paul McGrath, see Paul McGrath (disambiguation).

Paul McGrath

Personal information
Full name	Paul McGrath
Date of birth	4 December 1959 (1959-12-04)
Place of birth	Ealing, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
	Pearse Rovers
	Dalkey United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1981–1982	St Patrick's Athletic	27	(4)
1982–1989	Manchester United	163	(12)
1989–1996	Aston Villa	252	(9)
1996–1997	Derby County	24	(0)
1997	→ Sheffield United (loan)	7	(0)
1997–1998	Sheffield United	5	(0)
National team
1985–1997	Republic of Ireland	83	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Paul McGrath (born 4 December 1959) is a retired Irish footballer, who played as a defender. McGrath is widely recognised as one of the greatest players to have ever come out of Ireland.

In a career greatly hampered by physical and off-the-field problems, he played 14 professional seasons with Aston Villa and Manchester United (seven apiece). A tough tackler, he played extensively despite the poor condition of his knees.

Also a long-time member of the Republic of Ireland national team, he appeared at the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups, as well as UEFA Euro 1988, the team's first-ever international tournament.

Childhood

McGrath was born in Ealing, London to an Irish mother and a Nigerian father. According to Donald McRae, his father disappeared soon after his conception, while his mother, Betty McGrath, gave him up for adoption when he was four weeks old: terrified that her father would find out she had become pregnant outside marriage and in an interracial relationship, she travelled in secret to London to have her child, who was considered illegitimate.

Although McGrath's mother would eventually track him down again, Paul Nwobilo, as he was then known, was brought up in a number of orphanages in Dublin.

Club career

McGrath began as a schoolboy with Pearse Rovers and played junior football for Dalkey United. While at the latter, he attracted the attention of Manchester United scout Billy Behan. Before becoming a full time professional with League of Ireland club St Patrick's Athletic in 1981, he briefly worked as an apprentice metal worker and a security guard in Dublin.

McGrath made his debut in a League of Ireland Cup clash with Shamrock Rovers in August at Richmond Park. He ultimately excelled at St Pat's, earning the nickname "The Black Pearl of Inchicore" and receiving the PFAI Player of the Year Award in his first and only season, scoring four goals in 31 total appearances.

In 1982, McGrath moved to Manchester United, then managed by Ron Atkinson. His only honour there was the 1984–85 FA Cup, in a 1–0 defeat of Everton. He was named Man of the match in the game, which was remembered for the sending off of Kevin Moran – the first ever in the competition's final. In his early years at Manchester United, McGrath was frequently used as a midfielder, changing to defender still at Old Trafford. Lacking in pace, he often relied on his strength and ability to read the game. Ben Dyson quoted: 'Defending is known as the devil of football, McGrath makes it seem like a work of art'.

Often regarded as one of the best pure defenders in the game, several knee injuries stopped McGrath from becoming a regular under new United manager Alex Ferguson. The pair also faced a turbulent relationship, as McGrath's alcohol addiction and physical problems led to United offering him a retirement package of £100,000 with a testimonial. McGrath refused, and instead Ferguson began to inform clubs of his availability. Although McGrath's former manager Atkinson made an offer from Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa's offer was accepted and McGrath signed on 3 August 1989 for a fee of £400,000, after 194 official appearances for the Reds, with 16 goals - the last of which came in a 2-1 league defeat against Norwich City at Carrow Road on 25 February 1989.

During this time McGrath was offered terms at S.S.C. Napoli [1].

While at Villa, McGrath played some of the best football of his career, despite recurrent problems in his knees. Villa came close to winning the title in McGrath's first season, finishing second to Liverpool. The next season saw the club fighting relegation for much of the campaign, after boss Graham Taylor left to take control of England.

Atkinson then took over and Aston Villa again ended as runner-up, to McGrath's former employer Manchester United. He won the PFA Player of the Year award at the end of the season, and would also win his first trophy with the Villans, defeating Manchester United in the 1993–94 Football League Cup.

After winning another League Cup, McGrath left Aston Villa in 1996, widely regarded one of the greatest players in the side's history, being nicknamed 'God' by their fans, who also remember his services by singing a terrace chant every matchday to the tune of "Kumbaya". Subsequently, he retired from the game at almost 39, after very brief spells with Derby County and Sheffield United: he helped the former to a secure 12th place finish in its first Premier League season, and guiding the latter to the 1997–98 FA Cup semi-finals, also helping the side secure a playoff place – although it was beaten by Sunderland in the semi-finals.

For many years, McGrath suffered from alcoholism, and missed occasional matches as a result. In an interview with FourFourTwo, he admitted to playing football while still under the influence of alcohol; additionally, his recurrent knee problems resulted in him undergoing a total of eight operations during his career. McGrath's autobiography, Back from the Brink, co-written with journalist Vincent Hogan, was the most successful Irish sports book ever. Upon retiring, he settled in Monageer, County Wexford.

In 2004, one year after being taken to court, charged with a breach of the peace, McGrath returned to the football world after five years, moving to Waterford United in Ireland as director of football.

International career

McGrath won his first full cap against Italy in 1985, last playing 12 years later, against Wales. During that time, he was often regarded as the single most influential player Ireland had in the national team's glory days. He was capped 83 times, scoring eight goals.

McGrath was a major part of the breakthrough of Ireland's national team of the late 1980s and early 1990s. During the early part of Jack Charlton's era, he played as a defensive midfielder, due to the wealth of talent Ireland had in defence. In UEFA Euro 1988, as the national side first qualified for an international tournament, McGrath was present in the 1–0 group stage win against England.

In 1990, Ireland qualified for its first FIFA World Cup, in 1990 in Italy, eventually reaching the quarterfinals, where they lost to the hosts (1–0 in Rome), with McGrath ever present in the lineups (five matches, 480 minutes played). He captained the team four times in 1992 after the retirement of Mick McCarthy, and ignored a painful shoulder virus to play in the 1994 World Cup.

In Ireland's opening game of the 1994 World Cup – a 1–0 win against favourites Italy, thanks to Ray Houghton's early goal – in a perfect example of his commitment to the game, McGrath put up an astonishing defensive performance in spite of excruciating knee problems, including blocking a shot from Roberto Baggio with his face. Even after his retirement from international football in 1997, he is still regarded today as one of the greatest ever players to put on Ireland's green shirt.

In 2011, Paul launched his singing career with a cover version of the Gerry Goffin and Carole King song "Goin' Back". The recording is to be followed by an album of covers by the footballer, with a percentage of the album's proceeds going to the Acquired Brain Injury Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Ireland.

Honours

Club

Manchester United

• FA Cup: 1984–85

Aston Villa

• League Cup: 1993–94, 1995–96

Individual

• PFAI Player of the Year: 1982
• PFA Player of the Year: 1993

See also

• List of people on stamps of Ireland

External links

• Paul McGrath career stats at Soccerbase
• Aston Villa archives
• Paul McGrath (footballer) at National-Football-Teams.com