Michael ‘Mick’ McGrath

1936 to 2025

It is with deep regret that we learned of the passing of Michael McGrath, popularly
known as Mick, a member of the 1957-58 promotion winning side and a member of the ill-
fated 1960 F.A. Cup team.

Johnny Carey signed Mick McGrath and Charles Wade from Home Farm after keeping an
eye on the two young Irishmen for several months. Wade was the player who the club had
high hopes for but whilst Wade never progressed beyond the reserve team Mick went on to
become a regular performer for the club as well as becoming a fixture in the Republic of
Ireland team.

Mick made his debut for the first team when he featured at left-half in a 1-1 draw away to
Nottingham Forest on the 28 th April 1956. At that point, Eric Bell’s playing career was
drawing to a close and Ken Clayton was earmarked to replace him at left-half. As a result,
Mick had to bide his time in the reserves. However, when Ken Clayton broke his leg in the
closing weeks of the 1956-57 season, Mick stepped up to take the left-half spot.
Once promoted to the senior team, Mick proved to be a model of consistency and from
that point on he was a regular fixture in the number six shirt. The half-back line of Ronnie
Clayton, Matt Woods and Mick McGrath became one of the finest in the club’s history.
Although each player brought something different to the team, they complimented each other
perfectly. In 1957-58 he helped the club climb out of the Second Division and win promotion
to the topflight.

Although a quiet unassuming individual off the field, Mick was a terrier on it. A hard
tackling half-back, Mick was also a master at reading the game. He sensed danger and
positioned himself, accordingly, often slotting into defensive positions when required and
then bringing the ball forward when Rovers were on the front foot and setting up attacks with
his judicious passing. He didn’t score many goals, but they were often important ones – none
more so than the goals against Blackpool and Burnley in the run to the 1960 F.A. Cup Final.
Sadly, the Final brought a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Mick had
the misfortune to score an own goal.

Mick won the first of 22 caps for the Republic of Ireland on the 14th May 1958, when he
was a member of the team that was beaten 3-1 by Austria in Vienna. He won 18 of his caps
whilst with Rovers and the final four when he had moved to Bradford (Park Avenue). Mick
also won a ‘B’ cap for the Republic and also had the distinction of representing the Football
League against the League of Ireland at Dalymount Park, Dublin. He was in good company
as Ronnie Clayton, Matt Woods and Peter Dobing played alongside him with Dobing scoring
a hat-trick in a 4-0 win.

Mick remained a loyal club servant throughout the early sixties. In 1965-66 he was the
first Rovers’ player to be substituted, under the new rules that allowed an injured player to be
replaced, being withdrawn during the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. This
was to be his final League appearance for the Rovers.

In recognition of his services the club waived a fee when he was allowed to move to
Bradford (Park Avenue) in August 1966. Mick who had the distinction of being the first

Blackburn Rovers player to earn a Republic of Ireland international cap, became the last
Bradford (Park Avenue) player earn an international cap when he won his twenty-second and
final cap while playing for the Fourth Division club.

He made 50 League appearances for the Park Avenue team before spending a short spell
with Bangor City, as player-manager, in the Northern Premier League. In later years he
helped out with the Rovers’ youth teams and then became involved in local junior soccer in
Blackburn for a time. He lived in the Brownhill area of Blackburn and was a very popular
member of the local community.

The Blackburn Rovers Former Players Association wish to express their deepest
sympathy to the family and friends of Michael at this sad time.