Theres a beautiful moment in the final scene of Rocky where Sly Stallone is slumped in his corner having taken an absolute beating from heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. His face is swollen, his body is blue and hes gasping for air. To everybody watching he is a beaten man. Just before the bell goes for the last round he turns to his trainer and spits You stop this fight, Ill
Brian Orakpo Jersey kill ya!. To me this moment encapsulates the e sence of Paul McGrath, a man who kept on fighting back every time he was knocked down, and in my mind the finest player ever to don the sacred claret and blue of Aston Villa.Everybody loves an underdog, but even so the story of Paul McGrath is a miraculous one. Given up for adoption as a baby, McGrath spent his entire childhood in and out of foster homes and orphanages. McGrath played schoolboy football during his teenage years in Dublin and ended up with Saint Patricks Athletic, where his natural athleticism and defensive ability caught the eye of Ron Atkinson, who took him to Manchester United despite McGraths problems with drink and depre sion. McGrath had a difficult time in Manchester, his drinking spiraled
Aaron Brewer Jersey into alcoholism and hampered by injuries, and repeatedly disciplined by new manager Alex Ferguson for his off the field debauchery, McGrath appeared to be on the verge of quitting the game until in the summer of 1989 McGrath was offered a way out by Graham Taylor.McGrath became a hero at Aston VillaMcGrath was signed for 400,000 and went on to make 252 appearances for Aston Villa over his seven years with the club. He was voted the Fans Player of the Year an unprecedented four times. He impre sed the fans with his
Breon Borders Jersey unrivalled reading of the game and his menacing physical presence, despite the continuing deterioration of his knees forcing him to regularly sit out training se sions. With McGrath Aston Villa blo somed, and in his first season the club chased the title all the way to the wire, before unluckily losing out to Liverpool. In the inaugural year of the Premier League, and back under the management of Atkinson, McGrath had his greatest season leading Villa to second place. Villas football was absolutely superb all season, and was built around the might of McGrath who was scintillating. He thoroughly deserved the PFA Player of the Year award he collected that year. A League Cup winners medal followed in 1994, with McGrath playing through crippling neck pain to take his place in the side at Wembley, against Ferguson and Manchester United. No doubt a sweet moment for the gentle giant.Personally my favourite memory of McGrath is drawn from that match. McGraths outrageous first
Ryan Tannehill T Shirts minute back heeled defensive clearance was a moment of pure footballing beauty, but typical of McGrath. No other defender before or since could apply such grace to the art of defending. There are other moments of genius from his Villa career which are tainted by the darker side of McGrath however. Few can forget, for example, the November 1989 tie at home to Everton, a game McGrath dominated from the middle of the park guiding Villa to a 6-2 win, despite playing with wristbands to cover the evidence of a failed suicide attempt just days before.
Arguably the finest game of his career was not in a Villa shirt, but the shirt of his country. McGraths performance for Ireland against Italy in the appropriately named Giants Stadium at World Cup 1994 will long be remembered as one of the greatest displays of defending ever seen. Typically playing despite a serious shoulder infection, McGrath was impeccable and silenced the great Roberto Baggio, the finest player in the world at the time.McGrath was described as a colo sus at World Cup 94Throughout
Trevon Coley Jersey his adult life McGrath has battled the demon of alcoholism, yet he is able to talk about this difficult subject with astonishing honesty. He openly admits to frequently playing whilst still under the effects of alcohol. McGrath would be the first to admit he is no saint, but though he was clearly a tortured soul off the pitch he was certainly loved on it. Nicknamed God by the Villa faithful the Holte End still pays homage to the great man every game with the chant of Paul McGrath my Lord, Paul McGrath. Jack Charlton remarked that Paul is one of the all time greats, someone to compare to Bobby Moore, and famously said that I used to tell him Just look your opponent in the face, smile at them, and youll frighten them to death. Its no surprise that twelve years after his retirement the name that still rings out loudest from Villa Park on match days is
Mekhi Sargent Jersey that of Paul McGrath. For a man that gave so much to the club it is only fitting.
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