Paul McGrath

[stewiek2]

You don't mess with God. End of.

[stewiek2]

Can I go round to God's and have him put the kettle on for me? Sod that, it would be an honour for me to put the kettle on for him.

Seriously, legend is a word used too easily nowadays but for this man it truly is apt.

And it makes my piss boil that he doesn't get the recognition he deserves, especially from those within the game.

[TRO]

One of the few players Aston Villa have had, who could be placed in a world 11.

[icouldtelltheworld]

While I was aware of football/the Villa beforehand, the first games I have real memory of would've been around 1998, so McGrath was just before my time.

However, once I got into football my dad gave me loads of old VHS videos. The 1982 Cup final, first PL season where we finished second, 1994 Cup run, as well as old MOTD compilations and world cup home recordings. He spoke almost as highly of Paul McGrath as he did for Maradona, and that tells me all I need to know 

[ThunderPower_14]

I know he's had his battles and his football career was unfortunately before my time, but he comes across as such a kind, lovely man. Someone who conducts himself in a way that makes you so, so proud to have him associated with your club. 

[TRO]

21 hours ago, ThunderPower_14 said:

I know he's had his battles and his football career was unfortunately before my time, but he comes across as such a kind, lovely man. Someone who conducts himself in a way that makes you so, so proud to have him associated with your club. 

I met him, by chance, in the Aston Social, many moons ago.....There was a bit of a shindig in the main concert room with Kevin Richardson and Steve Staunton, I popped in to have a look as I used to play snooker, every Tuesday night and take my mother-in Law to meet her sister as the family Home was 10 Holte Rd....It was far too busy, so I went back to my seat in the Snooker room.......sitting at our table was Paul, talking to my Mother-in-law ( massive Villa Fan).....She said "oh Paul, here's my son-in law, he's a big Villa fan".....I was Dumb struck.

After recovering my lost composure, I just looked at him and all those great games came flooding back in to my head.....I just reacted like child with Father Xmas.....I just said my god, you have given me so many happy moments watching Villa" He retorted " That's a hell u va nice thing to say to a man".....

He was such a gentleman, softly spoken, genius of the game......He just wanted to be away from the limelight in the back room, and just sat with insignificant people like me and my family, who was just calm with him.

Pauls problems have never been really accepted in the press properly, always made out to be a let down.....but that is something, he parodoxically, never wanted to be.....His type of problems, don't always follow a rational path, suffice to say rational thinking, its always driven by an escape.

Aston Villa with Jim Walker, Graham Taylor and Doug Ellis, was remarkably tolerant with his dilemma, and he is fully aware and respectful to the help he got......He was an unbelivable player, and we offered an unbelievable platform for him to play......and yes, he did play his best football with us.

Top Man PM.

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by TRO

[TRO]

12 hours ago, ThunderPower_14 said:

I know he's had his battles and his football career was unfortunately before my time, but he comes across as such a kind, lovely man. Someone who conducts himself in a way that makes you so, so proud to have him associated with your club. 

sadly Alcoholism, is sometimes misunderstood, and interpreted as self inflicted, in some quarters.....nothing could be further from the truth.

Footballers like Paul and George Best, were always surrounded by folk who wanted to be generous towards them, understandably......it must have been a huge, temptation, and torturous battle, to stay on the right side of that.

Fortunately, many folk do have a good understanding.

 

 

[duke313]

On 01/04/2022 at 11:08, og1874 said:

Good defenders can run and tackle.

Great defenders don't have to.

A quote from Paolo Maldini which emphasises that statement:

“If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.”

[TRO]

8 hours ago, duke313 said:

A quote from Paolo Maldini which emphasises that statement:

“If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.”

There maybe a sobering thought there and I know what he means.....but mistakes happen to the best of us, and when that happens, its nice to have a plan B.

Paul McGrath was one of the best readers of the game, I have ever seen, but he was not beyond mistakes, but he could tackle too.....Intercepted most of the time.

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by TRO

[sheepyvillian]

On 21/12/2022 at 15:11, TRO said:

I met him, by chance, in the Aston Social, many moons ago.....There was a bit of a shindig in the main concert room with Kevin Richardson and Steve Staunton, I popped in to have a look as I used to play snooker, every Tuesday night and take my mother-in Law to meet her sister as the family Home was 10 Holte Rd....It was far too busy, so I went back to my seat in the Snooker room.......sitting at our table was Paul, talking to my Mother-in-law ( massive Villa Fan).....She said "oh Paul, here's my son-in law, he's a big Villa fan".....I was Dumb struck.

After recovering my lost composure, I just looked at him and all those great games came flooding back in to my head.....I just reacted like child with Father Xmas.....I just said my god, you have given me so many happy moments watching Villa" He retorted " That's a hell u va nice thing to say to a man".....

He was such a gentleman, softly spoken, genius of the game......He just wanted to be away from the limelight in the back room, and just sat with insignificant people like me and my family, who was just calm with him.

Pauls problems have never been really accepted in the press properly, always made out to be a let down.....but that is something, he parodoxically, never wanted to be.....His type of problems, don't always follow a rational path, suffice to say rational thinking, its always driven by an escape.

Aston Villa with Jim Walker, Graham Taylor and Doug Ellis, was remarkably tolerant with his dilemma, and he is fully aware and respectful to the help he got......He was an unbelivable player, and we offered an unbelievable platform for him to play......and yes, he did play his best football with us.

Top Man PM.

 

Imagine how good he would have been without the dodgy knees. The only other centre- half I can think of, who played with the  same defensive awareness was Bobby Moore. They knew what attackers were going to do before the attackers. 

[sheepyvillian]

On 21/12/2022 at 17:33, TRO said:

There maybe a sobering thought there and I know what he means.....but mistakes happen to the best of us, and when that happens, its nice to have a plan B.

Paul McGrath was one of the best readers of the game, I have ever seen, but he was not beyond mistakes, but he could tackle too.....Intercepted most of the time.

 

It's a cliche. Sometimes you're solving others mistakes. It's a beautiful sight seeing a defender stopping a certain goal with a last chance sliding- tackle. 

Edited December 23, 2022 by sheepyvillian

[KentVillan]

On 21/12/2022 at 17:33, TRO said:

There maybe a sobering thought there and I know what he means.....but mistakes happen to the best of us, and when that happens, its nice to have a plan B.

Paul McGrath was one of the best readers of the game, I have ever seen, but he was not beyond mistakes, but he could tackle too.....Intercepted most of the time.

 

I think the point is, the really great defenders only throw their body on the line when they really need to. It’s always their Plan B. Otherwise you’re just Nathan Baker or Fred Guilbert.

[DaveAV1]

On 21/12/2022 at 15:11, TRO said:

I met him, by chance, in the Aston Social, many moons ago.....There was a bit of a shindig in the main concert room with Kevin Richardson and Steve Staunton, I popped in to have a look as I used to play snooker, every Tuesday night and take my mother-in Law to meet her sister as the family Home was 10 Holte Rd....It was far too busy, so I went back to my seat in the Snooker room.......sitting at our table was Paul, talking to my Mother-in-law ( massive Villa Fan).....She said "oh Paul, here's my son-in law, he's a big Villa fan".....I was Dumb struck.

After recovering my lost composure, I just looked at him and all those great games came flooding back in to my head.....I just reacted like child with Father Xmas.....I just said my god, you have given me so many happy moments watching Villa" He retorted " That's a hell u va nice thing to say to a man".....

He was such a gentleman, softly spoken, genius of the game......He just wanted to be away from the limelight in the back room, and just sat with insignificant people like me and my family, who was just calm with him.

Pauls problems have never been really accepted in the press properly, always made out to be a let down.....but that is something, he parodoxically, never wanted to be.....His type of problems, don't always follow a rational path, suffice to say rational thinking, its always driven by an escape.

Aston Villa with Jim Walker, Graham Taylor and Doug Ellis, was remarkably tolerant with his dilemma, and he is fully aware and respectful to the help he got......He was an unbelivable player, and we offered an unbelievable platform for him to play......and yes, he did play his best football with us.

Top Man PM.

 

That’s a really lovely story mate thank you for sharing it. My over riding memories of PM the player was always his calmness. There could mayhem all around him, Villa looking like we’d concede and then suddenly the man had the ball at his feet and everything seemed to stop. He’d be striding forward with the ball and all in the world was good again. A genuine football genius. 

A very merry Christmas to you, your family and all Villans young and old. 

[Kiwivillan]

One of the saddest things about this whole affair is seeing God has +400 pages less than Rashica had 

[Greenfly]

16 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

One of the saddest things about this whole affair is seeing God has +400 pages less than Rashica had 

We know better than to tarnish the great man's thread with fish puns.

Also, I think all that can be said about McGrath has been said already. He is humble and has never coveted the spotlight, and this thread reflects that.

[TRO]

30 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

That’s a really lovely story mate thank you for sharing it. My over riding memories of PM the player was always his calmness. There could mayhem all around him, Villa looking like we’d concede and then suddenly the man had the ball at his feet and everything seemed to stop. He’d be striding forward with the ball and all in the world was good again. A genuine football genius. 

A very merry Christmas to you, your family and all Villans young and old. 

Thanks Dave.......Its funny, after being close to Andy Gray, for a couple of years.....you would think I wouldn't be affected by meeting players, but meeting Macca really stunned me.

A very merry Xmas to you and your family too, Dave.......and to the VT family.

 

[DaveAV1]

On 21/12/2022 at 01:56, icouldtelltheworld said:

While I was aware of football/the Villa beforehand, the first games I have real memory of would've been around 1998, so McGrath was just before my time.

However, once I got into football my dad gave me loads of old VHS videos. The 1982 Cup final, first PL season where we finished second, 1994 Cup run, as well as old MOTD compilations and world cup home recordings. He spoke almost as highly of Paul McGrath as he did for Maradona, and that tells me all I need to know 

You missed one hell of a party. Hopefully we’ll have another one soon. Hold on to your hat, there ain’t no party like a Villa party!!

[Guest av1]

On 20/12/2022 at 00:38, TRO said:

One of the few players Aston Villa have had, who could be placed in a world 11.

I absolutely agree. One of the things I always find strange with the great man is that I’ve always felt he was/is seriously underrated outside of B6. 
 

I’ve saw loads ex players speak really highly of him (like the Ian Rush video a few pages back) but he never features in any of these silly fantasy 11’s we see all the time. 
 

Im 43 so i can only speak about the last 30 odd years, but Paul is head and shoulders the best center back I’ve ever seen live. 

[A38villan]

The most underrated footballer of all time 

[mikeyp102]

On 21/12/2022 at 16:37, duke313 said:

A quote from Paolo Maldini which emphasises that statement:

“If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.”

I’m pretty sure that was fake, it’s always been aimed at Maldini but never said it.