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.jpg) Shaw in 1982 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Robert Shaw[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1961-01-21)21 January 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Date of death | 16 September 2024(2024-09-16) (aged 63) | ||
| Place of death | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1977–1978 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1988 | Aston Villa | 165 | (59) |
| 1987 | →Blackpool (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 1988 | Kjøbenhavns Boldklub | 14 | (4) |
| 1988–1990 | SK Austria Klagenfurt | 9 | (7) |
| 1990 | Walsall | 9 | (3) |
| 1990 | Kilmarnock | 2 | (0) |
| 1990–1991 | Shrewsbury Town | 22 | (5) |
| 1991–1992 | Ernest Borel | ||
| Total | 218 | (71) | |
| International career | |||
| 1978–1979 | England Youth | 9 | (4) |
| 1981–1982 | England U21 | 7 | (2) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gary Robert Shaw (21 January 1961 – 16 September 2024) was an English professionalfootballstriker who played forAston Villa in the early 1980s.
During the 1980s, Shaw's goals helped Aston Villa win theFirst Division championship in1980–81 and theEuropean Cup thefollowing year – the onlyBirmingham-born player in the team. In 1981, he was votedPFA Young Player of the Year, and was awarded theBravo 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 atNottingham Forest in September 1983.[3] After a heavy tackle, he was helped to his feet byIan 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 the1987–88 season.
In July 1988 he made his debut for Copenhagen-basedKjøbenhavns Boldklub in Denmark, moving toAustria Klagenfurt in Austria in 1989. He finished his career with brief spells atWalsall,Kilmarnock,Shrewsbury Town and the Hong Kong-basedErnest Borel.
Shaw gained seven caps for theEngland under-21 team. Following a successful European Cup campaign with Aston Villa, he was also included in the 40-strong preliminaryEngland squad for the1982 FIFA World Cup finals; however, he was not picked in the final 22.
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".[4] 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".[5] 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.[6][7]
On 17 September, the day following Shaw's death - Aston Villa playedYoung 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 managerUnai Emery saying the subsequent win was in Shaw's honour.[8]
On Aston Villa's first home game since Shaw's death, a Premier League game againstWolverhampton Wanderers, Villa Park displayed banners of Shaw. His former teammates were invited as guests of honour and aminute's applause was held before the game.[9]
Shaw's funeral took place on 16 October 2024, crowds of supporters lined the route of afuneral procession starting at Villa Park and leading to a service at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium.[10]
On 6 December 2024, the coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.[11]
Aston Villa
Individual
