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Synopsis
Paul McGrath is Ireland's best loved sportsman and also its least understood. An iconic football presence during a professional career stretching over 14 years, he played for his country in the European Championship finals of 1988 and the World Cup finals of 1990 and 1994. But, behind the implied glamour of life in the employ of great English clubs like Manchester United and Aston Villa, McGrath wrestled with a range of destructive emotions that made his success in the game little short of miraculous. That story has until now never been told. It is a story that runs from a hard, hidden childhood spent in Dublin's orphanages all the way to the pain of two marriage break-ups and the struggle to cope with life after football. Quite apart from his all too public struggle with alcoholism, the story runs through the surreal highs and calamitous lows of a life lived habitually on the edge of chaos. It is not just a football story. It is an extraordinary human story that is certain to surprise with its candour.

Here, for the first time, read about the father he never met; the mother whose love never died; the routine loneliness and ritual bullying endured by a black kid growing up behind closed doors in 1960s Dublin; the emotional breakdown suffered on leaving that institution; the recovery that - remarkably - brought him all the way to Old Trafford; the rollercoaster ride that followed. Here, the guilt, fear, self-loathing are all laid bare in a story fired with hope and determination for the future. It may well be the most candid sports book ever written.

From the Publisher
The compelling story of the boy orphan from Dublin who went on
to become a football legend.
WINNER William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year Award 2006.
WINNER Boylesports Sports Book of the Year Award 2006.


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18 Reviews 5 star:  (13) 4 star:  (3) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review (18 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   8 of 9 people found the following review helpful: COULDNT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN, 9 Jun 2007 By  S , AYRSHIRE (SCOTLAND) - See all my reviews This review is from: Back from the Brink: The Autobiography (Mass Market Paperback) I waited till this book came out on paperback, took it on holiday and could not put it down till i had finished it. I wont go into great detail, but what Paul has gone through in his life is really quite incredible, i remember him as a player , but this book lets you see the troubles the man has had throughout his life.Some may well be self induced, others really heart breaking to read. For me, one of the best books i have ever read, and i have a lot of respect for Paul after reading this, it is as i see it a very honest book that deals with his problems with drink throughout his life and playing career. Hope someone makes this into a film. All the best Paul.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   7 of 8 people found the following review helpful: Oooh Aaah!, 25 Oct 2006 By  Mr. D. Mullan (Ireland) - See all my reviews    Oooh Aaah Paul McGrath went the chants around Landsdowne Road, Old Trafford and Villa Park in the late '80s and early '90s when one of Ireland's truely outstanding sports personalities was at the peak of his career. And what a brilliant career it was. Paul McGrath was a rock at the heart of United and Villa's defences and a collosus for Eire particularly in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. And the amazing thing is that McGrath achieved all this whilst battling alcoholism and inner demons that would undoubtedly have destroyed a lesser man. The book is a very candid account of McGrath's life, from his tough childhood in Dublin where he suffered because of his skin colour, to his rise to the summit of professional football where he often played whilst under the influence. The book gives an indication of what McGrath's mindset and mental state was like during these halcyon years, and includes some really interesting stories and insights into the some of the top personalities in English and Irish football at the time. Legend is a word that is certainly used too lightly, but this is not the case with McGrath. He is a true legend and what's more he comes across as a very honest and likeable character. A great read. Declan Mullan.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   6 of 7 people found the following review helpful: This is not primarily a soccer story, 26 May 2007 By  Moz "The Madhatter" (Birmingham England) - See all my reviews This review is from: Back from the Brink: The Autobiography (Mass Market Paperback) This is a story about a man wrestling with addiction while being blessed with great athleticism. Being autobiographical, Paul is more scathing about his lapses than a biographer would be, while underplaying his iconic football image. At times it's gut-wrenchingly honest as his constant submissions to the booze prevent him fully realising his athletic potential. You don't have to be a Man U fan, Villan or Republic of Ireland fan to read this. Paul's roots and upbringing alone are rivetting and scary. Me, I'm a music fan really, and this life has parralels with Phil Lynott's tragic rise to fame and seduction by drugs. I just hope it doesn't end prematurely in the way Phil's did. A mixed race Irish man growing up in Dublin with no knowledge of his father but driven by a calling to excel. The troubled romances and the shadow of oblivion cast over even the most triumphal moments. Paul's football carreer was dogged by dodgy knees, alcoholism and an amazing lack of self belief or confidence. A genius awarded countless accolades and many caps who feels unw