In terms of Ireland's most beloved and skilled athletes, the name of Paul McGrath will always rank very high because, in many ways, the Aston Villa fans weren't wrong when they gave him his nickname, God.
Well, Virgin Media have announced that their Autumn lineup will include in-depth discussions with some of the country’s top sporting personalities, kicking off with a two-part interview with McGrath.
The show ‘Sports Stories’ returns with another batch of powerful Irish sports documentaries including a two-part interview with Paul McGrath, airing on 30 th and 31 st of August as Tommy Martin sits down with one of Ireland’s greatest ever footballers for an in-depth interview about his life on and off the pitch.
As for McGrath, what else has to be said?
Graceful, tenacious and with an ability to read the game like no other, the defender was so good that he'd rarely look like he was breaking a sweat during matches.
Aside from his bravery, intelligence and tenacity, the former Manchester United and Aston Villa man was sublime with the ball at his feet and incredibly versatile.
Crowned the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1993, the man that's affectionately known as "The Black Pearl of Inchicore" had a stellar club career but what elevated him to hero status on these shores was his performances for Ireland.
A lynchpin of the Jack Charlton era, his performances against Italy at USA '94 has gone down in history but McGrath's story is far more human than most athletes.
His troubles have been well documented but throughout these ordeals, he maintained the love and respect of the Irish public.
The first Paul McGrath episode of Sports Stories airs at 9pm on Monday, August 30 on Virgin Media One with the second episode airing on the same channel at the same time the next day.
