 McGrath in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul McGrath[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1959-12-04)4 December 1959 (age 66)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Greenford, England | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre back[1] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1971–1976 | Pearse Rovers | ||
| 1976–1981 | Dalkey United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1982 | St Patrick's Athletic | 26 | (4) |
| 1982–1989 | Manchester United | 163 | (12) |
| 1989–1996 | Aston Villa | 253 | (9) |
| 1996–1997 | Derby County | 24 | (0) |
| 1997 | →Sheffield United (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Sheffield United | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 478 | (25) | |
| International career | |||
| 1985–1997 | Republic of Ireland | 83 | (8) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul McGrath (born 4 December 1959) is an Irish former professionalfootballer, who played as adefender. Regarded as one of the greatest centre-backs in modern football, McGrath was known for his tackling ability, determination, composure and reading of the game, and was known by the nickname "The Black Pearl" atManchester United. He was also known by the nickname "God" atAston Villa.[3][4][5][6][7]
Mainly acentre back, McGrath also played as adefensive midfielder. He spent the majority of his career at Aston Villa and Manchester United (seven seasons apiece). As of August 2025[update], he is one of only six defenders to have won thePFA Players' Player of the Year award. He also played forSt Patrick's Athletic,Derby County andSheffield United.
A long-time member of theRepublic of Ireland national team, McGrath appeared at the1990 and1994FIFA World Cups, as well asUEFA Euro 1988, the team's first-ever international tournament.
McGrath was born inGreenford,Middlesex,[1] to a Nigerian father who met his Irish mother during his medical studies inDublin.[8] His father disappeared soon after his conception. His mother, Betty McGrath, was terrified that her father would find out she had become pregnant outside marriage and in aninterracial relationship. She travelled in secret to London to have her child, who was consideredillegitimate. She was strongly advised to give her son up foradoption at theMother and Baby home inActon, where she refused to do so numerous times. Upon her arrival back in her hometown Paul was forcibly taken away from her, placed with a foster family and later transferred to the Smyly Trust Home. This was arranged and carried out by the Catholic Crusade members in Dublin.[8] It was assumed that Betty McGrath gave him up forfostering in Ireland when he was four weeks old.[9]
When he was five years old, one of the daughters of the family he had been fostered by came to Betty to say they could not control him. At that stage, his mother had him back for a number of days before having to put him into an orphanage. Despite being Paul McGrath on his birth certificate, the admission form required the name of the father, hence he was known as Paul Nwobilo for a time.[10]
Betty would later have a second black child, a daughter named Okune, and both Betty and Okune would visit Paul while he was in care. Regretting giving Paul into care, Betty kept Okune with her, but growing up, this caused confusion within Paul who also wanted to live with her.[11][12][13]
In school, McGrath had begun to excel in sports and was invited to play for Pearse Rovers Under-13s inSallynoggin.[14][15][16] McGrath remained in various forms of foster care around Dublin until he turned 18. In his later teenage years, he was able to reconcile with his mother, as well as his maternal grandfather.[11][12]
By age 17, McGrath had begun playing for the junior football club Dalkey United.[14][16] However, within months of leaving foster care he suffered a "catastrophic mental breakdown" that would ultimately last for a year. McGrath was placed in the psychiatric hospitalSt. John of God in Stillorgan, where he lay in a "trance-like state, unspeaking, incontinent and covered in bedsores". Doctors informed McGrath's mother that he might never walk again.[12] McGrath was eventually able to recover from his episode and resume his sporting career.[16]
McGrath signed his first professional contract atSt Patrick's Athletic aged 21.[14][17] He made his debut on 30 August 1981 in aLeague of Ireland Cup clash againstShamrock Rovers atRichmond Park. In the game'smatch programme, manager Charlie Walker stated in his notes that
"Since the end of last season I have been acquiring new players: three are local lads from junior clubs — Billy Reid (Fatima Rangers), Paul McGrath (Dalkey United) and John Cleary (Ballyfermot United). Given time and a little encouragement I feel that by the end of the season they will have done the club proud."
Although his League Cup debut ended in a 2–3 defeat,[19] McGrath scored the winner in his next game, aLeinster Senior Cup match againstShelbourne.[20]
He ultimately excelled atThe Saints, earning the nickname "The Black Pearl ofInchicore" and winning thePFAI Players' Player of the Year award for 1982.[21][22][23] His performances attracted the attention ofBilly Behan and Manchester United, who brought McGrath over for a trial in April 1982.[24][25]
On 27 April 1982, after completing his trial, a deal was agreed with St. Pat's and McGrath signed forManchester United.[25] The club's manager at the time wasRon Atkinson, who McGrath later described as one of his "favourite men in football".[26] McGrath joined a cohort of Irish players at United and credited Kevin Moran,Frank Stapleton,Ashley Grimes andAnthony Whelan with helping him to settle in.[27] After an operation on his cartilage in the summer, he made his debut for United on 10 November 1982 against Bradford City in the League Cup.[28] McGrath scored his first goal for United against Luton Town on 9 May 1983 at Old Trafford.[29] However, he missed out on a place in the team's1983 FA Cup victory over Brighton & Hove Albion later that month.
McGrath eventually oustedGordon McQueen to become the regular partner toKevin Moran in the centre of defence.[30] The highlight of his Manchester United career came in the1985 FA Cup final, where a 1–0 win over Everton secured the trophy and McGrath picked up the Man of the Match award.[14]
In1985–86, it appeared that McGrath was on course to pick up a league title medal after United won their first 10 league games of the season, but injuries to key players includingBryan Robson soon took their toll on the side and they managed only nine wins from their remaining 27 games.[31] The team eventually finished fourth in the table, 12 points behind championsLiverpool.[32] Their poor form continued into the1986–87 season and, after United's worst start in 14 years, Ron Atkinson was sacked and replaced byAlex Ferguson in November 1986, but McGrath initially remained a regular member of the first team.[31] United finished second behind Liverpool in the league a year later.[33]
By the1988–89 season, McGrath was struggling with knee injuries and was becoming a less regular member of the first team, facing competition from new signingsSteve Bruce andMal Donaghy.[34][14] His relationship with manager Ferguson had also become strained and United offered McGrath a pay deal to retire rather than sell him to another club. However, then aged only 29, McGrath decided to continue playing.[35][27] During this period, McGrath was offered terms atS.S.C. Napoli, but the deal did not come to fruition.[27][16]
McGrath signed forAston Villa in August 1989. While at Villa, McGrath played some of the best football of his career, despite recurrent problems in his knees. Villa had narrowly avoided relegation the previous season, yet came close to winning the title in McGrath'sfirst season. With McGrath operating in a three-man defence alongsideDerek Mountfield andKent Nielsen, Villa finished second in the league toLiverpool.[36]
The next season saw the club fighting relegation for much of the campaign after bossGraham Taylor left to take control ofEngland.[14] Taylor had been replaced byJozef Vengloš, the first top-flight manager to hail from the European mainland. Despite the managerial upheaval, McGrath's performances continued to impress and he became a consistent mainstay in the Aston Villa lineup.
When Vengloš resigned from Villa after asolitary season with the club, McGrath was reunited with Ron Atkinson who took over as manager and built a squad that managed a seventh place finish.[37][38] In theinaugural season of the Premier League, Aston Villa once again finished as runners-up, this time behind Manchester United. As a sign of the regard he was now held in by his fellow professionals, McGrath won the 1992–93PFA Players' Player of the Year award.[39][14] He added further silverware in 1994, winning his first trophy with Villa as they lifted theLeague Cup, beating Manchester United3–1 in the final. In November 1994, Atkinson was dismissed following a poor start to the season that left Villa in the relegation places.[40] The1995–96 season saw McGrath enter the final year of his Aston Villa contract.[41] The campaign ended in success when McGrath won the League Cup with Villa again, this time overcoming Leeds United3–0. McGrath was rewarded for his performances with a contract extension, which he signed in May 1996.[42][43]
Despite spending the previous season as a regular in a back three alongsideGareth Southgate andUgo Ehiogu, McGrath found himself out of the starting lineup for the start of the1996–97 campaign. Instead, McGrath's international teammateSteve Staunton was preferred by manager Brian Little. Aged 36 and wishing to maximise his playing time, McGrath submitted a transfer request and an offer of £200,000 from newly-promotedDerby County was accepted by Aston Villa.[42][44]
McGrath joined Derby in October 1996 and, despite being unable to train due to severe knee pain, went straight into the starting line-up against Newcastle United.[42] In January 1997, before and after a 3–1 home win against Aston Villa in the FA Cup, the travelling Villa fans sang McGrath's name. When Derby County achieved a 3–2 away win to McGrath's old club Manchester United in April 1997, Alex Ferguson credited McGrath with a man-of-the-match display.[42] Another victory against Villa on 12 April 1997 meant Derby secured their Premier League status with four games to play. In a post-match press conference, with half of McGrath's fee due to Villa upon avoiding relegation, managerJim Smith said he was "delighted to cough up the money" and labeled McGrath's performance as "tremendous".[42][45] By the end of the season, McGrath had helped Derby to a 12th place finish in the Premier League.[46] However, McGrath's injury problems had worsened as the season came to a close and Derby decided not to offer him a new contract.[47][48]
After his release by Derby County, McGrath dropped down a division to sign forSheffield United in July 1997.[49] He made his debut for the club on 10 August 1997 against Sunderland, a 2–0 victory at Bramall Lane.[50][51] He played his final game as a professional for Sheffield United againstIpswich Town on 9 November 1997, just before his 38th birthday.[52] After a minor operation on his knees, McGrath was back in training with the club in January 1998 but by February he was struggling to return to fitness.[53][54] McGrath officially announced his retirement from football on 17 April 1998.[55][56]
McGrath made his debut for theRepublic of Ireland in a friendly againstItaly on 5 February 1985.[56][57]
In November 1989, McGrath was part of the Republic of Ireland team thatqualified for the country's firstFIFA World Cup. The tournament, hosted by Italy, was held in1990. The Republic of Ireland reached the quarter-finals, where they lost 1–0 to the hosts inRome, with McGrath ever present in the lineups (five matches, 480 minutes played). He received theIrish International Player of the Year award in both 1990 and 1991 in recognition of his contributions to the side andcaptained the team four times in 1992 after the retirement ofMick McCarthy.[14][58][59]
McGrath started in the Republic of Ireland'sEuro 92 qualifier against England at Wembley in 1991.[60]
In the Republic of Ireland's opening game of the 1994 World Cup – a 1–0 win against favourites Italy, thanks toRay Houghton's early goal – in a perfect example of his commitment to the game, McGrath put up an astonishing defensive performance despite excruciating shoulder problems, including blocking a shot fromRoberto Baggio with his face.[21]
When McGrath announced his retirement on 17 April 1998, he did so as Ireland’s most-capped player and having served as his country's first black captain.[17][56][61]
Praised frequently for his physicality,[62][63][46] tackling,[62][64] determination[65][66][46] and reading of the game,[65][63][67] McGrath has been described as one of the greatest centre-backs of the modern era[63][66][64][68] and one of the best defenders in Premier League history.[69][70] He was given the nickname "the Black Pearl of Inchicore" while at St Patrick's Athletic, and Manchester United fans dubbed McGrath "the Black Pearl" during his time at the club. Aston Villa fans referred to McGrath by the nickname "God";[71][72][73] at Aston Villa games, fans often still chant "Paul McGrath, My Lord", a song for McGrath to the tune ofKumbaya in reference to this nickname.[74][75]
McGrath suffers fromalcoholism and missed occasional matches as a result.[76] In an interview withFourFourTwo, 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 journalistVincent Hogan, was the inaugural winner of theWilliam Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year (2006).[77]
Upon retiring, he settled inMonageer,County Wexford. In 2004, one year after being taken to court, charged with a breach of the peace,[78] McGrath returned to the football world after five years, moving toWaterford United in Ireland asdirector of football.[79]
In 2011, McGrath recorded a cover version of theGerry Goffin andCarole King song "Goin' Back".[80] He followed that single up with an 11 track album released in 2011 with profits going to his two designated charities the Acquired Brain Injury Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Ireland.[81]
On 29 June 2013, McGrath was arrested over an alleged public order offence at a hotel inCounty Offaly. He was bailed and appeared atTullamore district court on 17 July.[82]
Paul's half-sister Okune McGrath died in March 1994 due to complications stemming from a lifelong rare blood disorder.[83] Their mother Betty McGrath-Lowth died 4 September 2020, aged 83.[83]
As a result of the trauma of his early life and his subsequent alcoholism, McGrath has openly discussed through his autobiography and through interviews that he suffered at least four major suicide attempts in his life. One attempt came in November 1989 after Manchester United sold him to Aston Villa.[9] McGrath would return to play for Aston Villa on 5 November 1989, in a 6–2 victory over Everton, but during the game had to hide wounds to his wrists using wristbands.[84]
Until he got his drinking under control in the 2010s,[85] the precariousness of McGrath's long-term mental health impacted his family life; McGrath has been divorced twice.[9] In 2019, McGrath claimed to have been roughlyfunctional since 2014, although admitted to still occasionally consuming alcohol.[86]
McGrath is the father of five sons and a daughter, and, as of 2019, has five grandchildren.[86]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup[a] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| St Patrick's Athletic[88] | 1981–82 | League of Ireland | 26 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | 32 | 5 | |
| Manchester United[89] | 1982–83 | First Division | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 3 | |
| 1983–84 | First Division | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| 1984–85 | First Division | 23 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| 1985–86 | First Division | 40 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 49 | 4 | |
| 1986–87 | First Division | 35 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 40 | 2 | ||
| 1987–88 | First Division | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 24 | 3 | ||
| 1988–89 | First Division | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | ||
| Total | 163 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 199 | 16 | ||
| Aston Villa | 1989–90 | First Division | 35 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 43 | 1 | |
| 1990–91 | First Division | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| 1991–92 | First Division | 41 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 48 | 1 | ||
| 1992–93 | Premier League | 42 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 50 | 5 | ||
| 1993–94[90] | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 44 | 1 | |
| 1994–95 | Premier League | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 49 | 0 | |
| 1995–96 | Premier League | 30 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | 40 | 2 | ||
| 1996–97 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 253 | 9 | 25 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 323 | 10 | ||
| Derby County | 1996–97 | Premier League | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 26 | 0 | |
| Sheffield United | 1997–98 | First Division | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 14 | 0 | |
| Career total | 478 | 25 | 47 | 2 | 59 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 598 | 31 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland | 1985 | 7 | 0 |
| 1986 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1987 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1988 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1989 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1991 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 8 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1994 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 9 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 83 | 8 | |
Manchester United
Aston Villa
Individual
Paul McGrath is one of the all-time greats," Republic of Ireland manager Jack Charlton is moved to say afterwards. "Someone to compare with Bobby Moore...
I got an enquiry from Napoli when Maradona played for them and they were Italy's best team in the late '80s. I was holidaying near Naples on the coast in Sorrento when a delegation of Napoli officials came to see me at my hotel. I was amazed that they knew I was there. We had a big chat, but nothing came of it.
McGrath has made 23 appearances since he was signed in October from Aston Villa for £100,000 which will double when Derby's Premiership survival is finally guaranteed.
Republic of Ireland squads | |||||||||||||
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