On St Patrick's Day, we pay tribute to the former Republic of Ireland international who was a colossus for club and country before going on to win the PFA Players' Player of the Year award at Aston Villa in 1993.
He was to emerge as a key performer for Jack Charlton's boys in green and produced some memorable performances at the 1990 and 1994 World Cup finals.
The defender tells the harrowing story of his off-field life in the outstanding autobiography Back from the Brink, which contains some revelations which stick with you years after reading them.