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John McGrath

John McGrath

one devils st.

one devils st.

Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
432
Am really enjoying the '20 years ago today...' stuff on the offish site, but todays is brilliant, theres an interview with John McGrath for about 6/7 minutes, the interviewer asked one question and Sir McGrath waxed lyrical about the team, and waking up a sleeping giant. I was 10 in 86/87, that was my first season on so i'd forgotten what he was like and the one thing u can hear from him was the passion he had for this club and its fans.
Have we honoured him in any official way at the club? and how great (touches wood) would it be to be promoted on the 20th anniversary of that great season.

have got a bit of a lump in me throat after watching that :mawene:
 
Re: John McGrath

one devils st. said:
Have we honoured him in any official way at the club? and how great (touches wood) would it be to be promoted on the 20th anniversary of that great season.
:mawene:
Click to expand...


McGrath was a talisman for the club. Gary Brazil too, should be recognised. I loved Gary Brazil. Skill.

On Frank Worthington, McGrath's finest quote for me:

"The man is uncontaminated skill."
 
Re: John McGrath

John McGrath made my favourite quote from any North End manager. When persuading Ronnie Hildersley to sign he told him "We're gonna breath life into the grand old club."

The guy was a legend, and he always has been and always will be my favourite North End manager.

Mind you, Simmo's running him a pretty close second at the moment with the fantasy football we're playing 😀
 
Re: John McGrath

spudpie said:
Agree with all of the above.

I was lucky enough to meet Big John McGrath a few times whilst he was at PNE. He did a fantastic job for us, saved our bacon and brought the excitement back (he signed Mooney among others). As a Manager, he was outstanding - particularly given the limited budget and player sales he faced. As a man he was total character, a one-off. (Though I reckon Sam Allardyce, who idolised McGrath, is a bit of a chip off the old block.)

Anyone remember that late season game vs Northampton in promotion year?

They were top of the table, we were in 2nd place and there were 17,000 at Deepdale partying on a Friday evening.
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Remember that Friday night well, taped the goals the day after on 'saint and greavsy'. Still got the tape! Great finish by Brazil - also remember Oshor hitting the post from about a yard out.
 
Re: John McGrath

I remember him giving an interview concerning his approach to referees; essentially it was treat them as humans and have a joke with them. McGrath's 'quote' was;
In my playing career, I was never sent off and got booked 6 times. In reality, I should have been sent off six times and booked scores of times. But whenever a ref called me over to him, I'd make him laugh and he couldn't find it in himself to book me after that.
It might have been McGrath that coined this famous example (please correct me if you know better);

Ref blows whistle for foul by McGrath 30 yds away.
JMcG, half under his breath - Oh, you're blind, ref!
Ref, angrily - What did you say?
JMcG - You're deaf as well!

Classic 🙂
 
Re: John McGrath

spudpie said:
Anyone remember that late season game vs Northampton in promotion year?

They were top of the table, we were in 2nd place and there were 17,000 at Deepdale partying on a Friday evening.
Click to expand...

I remember that game vaguely. I was stood where the police box is now and the one thing that sticks in my mind is a wonderful save from Alan Kelly at the town end, tipping one over the bar at full stretch.
 
Re: John McGrath

spudpie said:
Agree with all of the above.

I was lucky enough to meet Big John McGrath a few times whilst he was at PNE. He did a fantastic job for us, saved our bacon and brought the excitement back (he signed Mooney among others). As a Manager, he was outstanding - particularly given the limited budget and player sales he faced. As a man he was total character, a one-off. (Though I reckon Sam Allardyce, who idolised McGrath, is a bit of a chip off the old block.)

Anyone remember that late season game vs Northampton in promotion year?

They were top of the table, we were in 2nd place and there were 17,000 at Deepdale partying on a Friday evening.
Click to expand...
Remember it well , stood behind dug outs and couldnt contain myself at full time and vaulted the wall and went on pitch to salute my heroes ! I was only 14 . ( 25 really ! )
 
Re: John McGrath

It is always a debateable point as to which manager over the last few decades has influenced the club to move forwards the most, and for me, you can keep your Beck's, Peters' and Moyes', my opinion is that John McGrath can almost be described as the saviour of this football club.

When he took over, the club was at it's lowest ebb, the crowd were historically speaking at their lowest levels, and so was interest in North End from the people of Preston, so much so that if it wasn't for McGrath, non-league football was beckoning.

He turned the tide, got us moving in the right direction, and then others such as Beck, Peters and Moyes (not forgetting Brian Grey) picked up the ball and ran with it.............and here we are today making a strong and sustained challenge for a place in the premiership. The recovery had to start with someone, and that someone was John McGrath.
 
Re: John McGrath

Saw the Big Man at a sportsman dinner in Bolton when i was 17.The guy who organised the do told John that i was a big Preston fan so John came over and sat with me for half an hour talking all things Preston and then signed my Cast as i had a broken ankle.He made my year.
One story he told that night was when he played for Newcastle against George Best.The manager had told John to man mark Best and not give him any time and space.John said half an hour had gone and Best had been round him a dozen times and scored three so the next time Best came near him he kicked him up in the air.After lengthy treatment Best trotted up to John and said next time John why dont you try going for the ball and John replied i aint changing my f****ng game for you!
 
Re: John McGrath

I met him on several occasions, he was highly regarded throughout the club at the time by every single person be it staff or players and their wives/partners. He was the kind of man who you didn't just go up to and speak as you thought he'd bite your head off but was a great guy when you got chatting.

His wife however, was absolutely rage, she once pinned him up against the garage by his car, and it was only due to Les Chapman dropping by that he wasn't seriously hurt. He always said that she was the only person he was scared of!! A very sad day whe he passed away. Hope the club do remember him in some way.
 
Re: John McGrath

JOHN McGRATH WAS PRESTON NORTH END ,

He picked this club up by the bootlaces and gave us so much in such a short space of time , THANK YOU JOHN ,RIP .....
 
Re: John McGrath

heard him once at a sportsman dinner

"why did you leave preston"
"ill health and fatigue"
"really"
"yeh the chairman was sick and tired of me!!!!!"

what a guy. the bit on the compilation videos where he picks up his bells whiskey award shows how genuine he was with his reaction to the crowd, Or was that cos he was looking forward to drinking it!!!!
 
Re: John McGrath

That bit with the whisky bottle is on the Whites World thing. It's class. Big bottle as well!
 
Re: John McGrath

one devils st. said:
Am really enjoying the '20 years ago today...' stuff on the offish site, but todays is brilliant, theres an interview with John McGrath for about 6/7 minutes, the interviewer asked one question and Sir McGrath waxed lyrical about the team, and waking up a sleeping giant. I was 10 in 86/87, that was my first season on so i'd forgotten what he was like and the one thing u can hear from him was the passion he had for this club and its fans.
Have we honoured him in any official way at the club? and how great (touches wood) would it be to be promoted on the 20th anniversary of that great season.

have got a bit of a lump in me throat after watching that :mawene:
Click to expand...
Enough said..........
 
Re: John McGrath

Bernster said:
heard him once at a sportsman dinner

"why did you leave preston"
"ill health and fatigue"
"really"
"yeh the chairman was sick and tired of me!!!!!"
Click to expand...


That is fooking quality and sums what a top bloke he was! 😀

The least we should do is honour the great man in someway.

RIP
 
Re: John McGrath

My Favourite Big John quote was "Lets see how fast their centre forward can limp".

I loved the big man.

John Mcgraths superwhite army

Sam Ellis' tangerine.................
 
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