Gary Shaw

Gary Robert Shaw (21 January 1961 – 16 September 2024) was an English professional football striker who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980s.

Club career During the 1980s, Shaw's goals helped Aston Villa win the First Division championship in 1980–81 and the European Cup the following year – the only Birmingham-born player in the team. In 1981, he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year, and was awarded the Bravo Award the following year, as the best under-23 player in European competitions.

His promising Villa career was hindered after sustaining a knee injury in an away game at Nottingham Forest in September 1983. After a heavy tackle, he was helped to his feet by Ian Bowyer and, in Shaw's words, something in his knee 'clicked'. The rest of his career was plagued by frequent injuries. He continued to play for Villa until the conclusion of the 1987–88 season.

In July 1988 he made his debut for Copenhagen-based Kjøbenhavns Boldklub in Denmark, moving to Austria Klagenfurt in Austria in 1989. He finished his career with brief spells at Walsall, Kilmarnock, Shrewsbury Town and the Hong Kong-based Ernest Borel.

International career Shaw gained seven caps for the England under-21 team. Following a successful European Cup campaign with Aston Villa, he was also included in the 40-strong preliminary England squad for the 1982 FIFA World Cup finals; however, he was not picked in the final 22.

Death On 6 September 2024, Shaw suffered a head injury after a fall at his home in Birmingham and was admitted to hospital in a "serious condition". Following reports of his death on 15 September, Shaw's family released a statement that he was still in hospital, with his condition being described as "grave and serious". Shaw died the next day at the age of 63. Aston Villa released a statement on behalf of Shaw's family stating that he had died peacefully earlier that day, surrounded by his family.

On 17 September, the day following Shaw's death - Aston Villa played Young Boys in Bern, in their first game in the European Cup (now called the Champions League) since Shaw's playing days. The Swiss club displayed a tribute to Shaw before the game, with Aston Villa manager Unai Emery saying the subsequent win was in Shaw's honour.

On Aston Villa's first home game since Shaw's death, a Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Villa Park displayed banners of Shaw. His former teammates were invited as guests of honour and a minute's applause was held before the game.

Shaw's funeral took place on 16 October 2024, crowds of supporters lined the route of a funeral procession starting at Villa Park and leading to a service at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium.

On 6 December 2024, the coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.

Honours Aston Villa First Division: 1980–81 European Cup: 1981–82 PFA Young Player of the Year: 1981 PFA Team of the Year: 1980–81