PAUL McGRATH FACTFILE
BORN on December 4 1959, in Ealing, London. His mother brought him home to Dublin some weeks later and he spent his childhood in care homes and an orphanage in Monkstown. His football talent came to the fore with Pearse Rovers and Dalkey United.
St Patrick’s Athletic signed him in 1980, and his time there supplemented his income as a sheet-metal worker. Named PFAI Player of the Year in his one full League of Ireland season at Inchicore. Ron Atkinson signed him for Manchester United in a cut-price deal for £25,000 in 1982.
He played 200 times for United, scoring 16 goals and was named runner-up to Gary Lineker in the PFA Player of the Year poll of 1986. His only major honour with United was the FA Cup winner’s medal in 1985, when the Red Devils beat Everton 1-0. McGrath was named man of the match in the final.
McGrath had a difficult relationship with Alex Ferguson, who replaced Atkinson in October 1986, not helped by the knee problems plaguing him. Even so, his talent regularly shone through and he gave a man-ofthe-match performance in 1987 when an First Division XI beat Rest of the World 2-0 at Wembley – McGrath marked Diego Maradona.
He won the first of his 83 Ireland caps in a friendly against Italy in 1985. He played for his country for 12 years, scoring eight goals and is widely regarded as the most influential player during the Jack Charlton glory years. McGrath played every minute of the 1990 World Cup campaign and captained his country four times in 1992 following Mick McCarthy’s retirement.
Having refused to accept Ferguson’s severance package, McGrath joined Graham Taylor’s Aston Villa in August 1989 for £425,000. It began the best period of his club career, winning two League Cup medals, beating United 3-1 in the 1994 final when again he was the best player on the pitch and in 1996, when they beat Leeds in the final.
He was named PFA Player of the Year in 1993, having finished runner-up to Mark Hughes in 1991. He joined Derby County in 1996 for £200,000, giving one final man-of-the-match performance at Old Trafford when they beat United 3-2 in 1997. McGrath ended his career at Sheffield United, moving there on a free transfer.
Announced his retirement in April 1998, following another knee operation. Was given an emotional testimonial at Lansdowne Road the following month.