AvfcRigo82 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 And the fact we still chant every matchday "Oh Lord Paul Mcgrath" shows how much of a legend he is and how highly regarded he remains. If you are one of the fortunate ones to have been old enough to witness him play for us then you are blessed. ...And for what it's worth we need a Stand named after him! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted December 5, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2018 The guy had an almost supernatural ability to anticipate ball/player movement. I've never seen anyone come even close to his level since. He was a phenom. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted December 5, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2018 1 minute ago, Designer1 said: The guy had an almost supernatural ability to anticipate ball/player movement. I've never seen anyone come even close to his level since. He was a phenom. Yeah I remember watching him from the Holte just seemingly walking to an empty area of the pitch, and lo and behold a few seconds later he's there ready and waiting to sort things out when the play caught up with God. Unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted December 5, 2018 Moderator Share Posted December 5, 2018 The three best I’ve seen are God, then Allan Evans and Martin Lauren behind him. God and Allan Evans are the only two where you’d see opposition forwards just give up. My favourite God moment is him scoring away at Forest when we were trying to win the league. Towering header, away end going mental, truly mental, in celebration. But really it’s his consummate defending and reading of the game that stood out. Worst moment, an absolute mare of a game away at Coventry in the fog on a Boxing Day. We lost 3-0 and he was dreadful. So he is human, and a lovely human at that. Top man. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 5, 2018 Moderator Share Posted December 5, 2018 25 minutes ago, Demitri_C said: We will have to disagree then. As no one can tell me the football was the same then to what it is today. It's evolved greatly for better or worse. For example dives didn't exist in those days. There wasn't as much negative football as there is these days. Dem, you at missing the point mate. I’m not saying that football was the same then as it is today. My point was McGrath was voted as the PFA player of the year by his contemporaries. Not just the best defender but the best player in the league. Laursen wasn’t remotely close to that, it doesn’t matter how the game has changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 18 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Dem, you at missing the point mate. I’m not saying that football was the same then as it is today. My point was McGrath was voted as the PFA player of the year by his contemporaries. Not just the best defender but the best player in the league. Laursen wasn’t remotely close to that, it doesn’t matter how the game has changed. I dont disagree that McGrath was class for me he was unbeleivable and best ive seen in my lifetime. I just don't think it's a fair comparison as the games changes since then that's my only point What we would do for a McGrath today eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 I saw him maybe 2 to 5 times when I was a kid, I'm 31 and it would have really been the tail end of his career. I was also of an age that the art of defending was lost on me, and I was more interested in goalscorers like Yorkie. We were patchy in the league in his time, where we finished every where from 2nd to 18th. Whilst I do know he was absolutely outstanding, and for a defender to win the PFA POTY is really, really unsual - but I do something wonder if/why we conceded so many goals in a couple of the seasons he was here. Obviously 1 defender cannot do everything, but in the early/mid 90s - we seemed to have a really decent team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mottaloo Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 I just cannot believe there are only four pages for this legend's thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson1 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 38 minutes ago, blandy said: The three best I’ve seen are God, then Allan Evans and Martin Lauren behind him. God and Allan Evans are the only two where you’d see opposition forwards just give up. My favourite God moment is him scoring away at Forest when we were trying to win the league. Towering header, away end going mental, truly mental, in celebration. But really it’s his consummate defending and reading of the game that stood out. Worst moment, an absolute mare of a game away at Coventry in the fog on a Boxing Day. We lost 3-0 and he was dreadful. So he is human, and a lovely human at that. Top man. Not forgetting his Italia 90 displays either. I seem to remember that he was quite simply brilliant during that tournament and helped Ireland reach the last eight. Top, top international player as well and kept many of the best forwards quiet during his international career. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 I will always remember being in a Hotel near Cromer in 1994 watching Italy vs Ireland in the USA World Cup and seeing a 34/35 yr old McGrath play an absolute brilliant game keeping a great Italian team quiet. What a display at that really was and at that age, on that stage against such a team. ..and he was carrying an injury going into that game. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Platt Posted December 5, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2018 4 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said: I will always remember being in a Hotel near Cromer in 1994 watching Italy vs Ireland in the USA World Cup and seeing a 34/35 yr old McGrath play an absolute brilliant game keeping a great Italian team quiet. What a display at that really was and at that age, on that stage against such a team. ..and he was carrying an injury going into that game. Watched that on YouTube last night well the God highlights and he was like a 1 man defence!! I seem to recall at the time that game kicked off around midnight and I was out hammered in town somewhere but it was like Villa had beat Italy! God, Houghton (scored the only goal) Townsend and Staunton all in the starting 11 I think!? I always used to stand at the back of The Holte but one away game at The Baseball Ground I had to go in the Derby end standing by the touchline on the side of the pitch as could not get in the Villa end. Platt and Daley scored in 2-0 win but what I remember was being so close to God and hearing him shout "Oh Yeah" when he would win a challenge!! Really stood out more than the goals! Legend of a man used to see him in his Ferrari in Moseley too from time to time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 5, 2018 Moderator Share Posted December 5, 2018 7 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said: And the fact we still chant every matchday "Oh Lord Paul Mcgrath" shows how much of a legend he is and how highly regarded he remains. If you are one of the fortunate ones to have been old enough to witness him play for us then you are blessed. ...And for what it's worth we need a Stand named after him! I've been thinking about this.... I wouldn't name a stand after him but you know what I would do, I'd name the steps up to the Holte End after him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Platt Posted December 5, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2018 1 minute ago, TrentVilla said: I've been thinking about this.... I wouldn't name a stand after him but you know what I would do, I'd name the steps up to the Holte End after him. God's Stairway to Heaven!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 5, 2018 Moderator Share Posted December 5, 2018 Just now, S-Platt said: God's Stairway to Heaven!? Exactly! I was waiting for someone to join the dots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 I thought it was because they were directly over a pub 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 13 hours ago, TrentVilla said: It’s 22 years since Paul McGrath left Villa Park so a lot of Villa fans won’t have been fortunate enough to see him play. You have my sympathy. That those who did watch him still call him God gives you an idea of how good he was, however good you imagine he was multiply it by two and you’ll be close. You have to be something special to earn a nickname like that, you have to be remarkable to keep it for 20+ years. I often see people put Laursen on the same level or a similar level, good as he was he was nowhere near McGrath. God played 250+ games for us, you could count his errors on one hand. He won two league cups with us and was voted the PFA player of the year. Quite simply Laursen doesn’t really get close. People can talk about his injuries and what might have been and they would have a point but he never got remotely close to being PFA player of the year so I think it’s impossible to argue he was even close to reaching McGrath level. The guy was the best CB I’ve seen in our colours by a mile and one of the best ever. He is also just about the nicest guy you could ever meet but was as tough as they come on the pitch. Happy birthday God. Trent - I have followed Villa since 1975 and Paul is without question the best player to ever wear the claret and blue in my life time - but I do honestly believe that Laursen is not far behind him - I count my blessings to have witnessed two genuine world class performers in a Villa shirt 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveAV1 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 Macca did what all truly great players do, in all sports not just football, he made it look easy. We could be under all sorts of pressure and then suddenly from nowhere he would have the ball at his feet striding out of defence in almost a different time zone to everyone else, God like you might say. When he was still playing I read an article by a football journalist, can’t rememner who, but he said something like Paul McGrath sees the game more clearly and simply then normal players. He makes space by standing in it. I thought that was a great insight. He wasn’t afraid to put his laces through the ball when needed too, he just knew when it was needed and when it wasn’t. It was a joy and a pleasure to watch him back then and to see how his love for the club grew and has continued since his retirement is wonderful. But then again, who else would God support? Happy Birthday Macca an Irish gentleman and a genuine legend both sides of The Irish Sea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDuck Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 We've had a fair few top class centre backs in my time - Laursen, Southgate, Ehiogu, Evans were all absolutely brilliant, but McGrath was undoubtedly a step above them all. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDuck Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 13 hours ago, Dave J said: but I do honestly believe that Laursen is not far behind him - I count my blessings to have witnessed two genuine world class performers in a Villa shirt I loved Laursen, but I'd have placed Sid and He Who Walks on Water alongside McGrath - well, standing behind him - as the top 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Wonder how many Villa players got their own stamps? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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