McGrath is match for Wayne Rooney
By Elaine Sheridan
Ireland football legend Paul McGrath is outscoring today’s young
guns Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard — in the book charts. His gritty
autobiography about his battle with the booze during his amazing career
on the pitch is in the top five selling soccer books in Britain —
proving he is still adored by thousands of Manchester United and Aston
Villa fans.
Back From The Brink is ranked fourth in the top- selling soccer bibles
on sale at the moment and is sure to remain in the Top 10 until Christmas.
In the book McGrath details how he was fathered by a Nigerian student
who he has never met and grew up in the Birds Nest Orphanage in Dun Laoghaire
after his mother fostered him at birth. As a teenager he suffered from
a massive breakdown and spent months recovering.
In 1989, with his career and marriage on the brink of collapse, he attempted
suicide by slashing his wrists with a Stanley blade.
McGrath won 83 caps for the Republic of Ireland, played in two World Cups
and was the Professional Footballers’ Association’s player-of-the-year
in 1993.
Yet, in his book he describes how his first Manchester United manager
Ron Atkinson turned a blind eye to players drinking but he fell out of
favour when Sir Alex Ferguson took over the team.
He was sold to Aston Villa in 1989 — three years after Ferguson
had taken over — and played there for seven years.
McGrath’s book was published earlier this year and has been a huge
hit in Ireland. Now sales in Britain prove that he is still a force to
be reckoned with in the world of football.
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