Gary Shaw (footballer, born 1961)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Robert Shaw | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker (retired) | ||
Gary Shaw (born 21 January 1961) was an English football striker who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980s. His goals helped Aston Villa win the English 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. He was also included in the 40-strong preliminary England World Cup squad for the 1982 finals; however, he was not picked in the final 22.
His promising Villa career was effectively ended after sustaining a knee injury in an away game at Nottingham Forest. After a heavy tackle, he was helped to his feet by Ian Bowyer and, in Shaw's words, something in his knee 'clicked'. After his recovery, he continued to play for Villa until 1987–88, when he was sold to Klagenfurt in Austria. He finished his career off at Kilmarnock, Shrewsbury, Walsall and the Hong Kong-based Ernest Borel FC.
Shaw gained seven caps for the England under-21s.
As a boy he lived in Meriden Drive, Kingshurst, and spent hours kicking a football round on a patch of grass opposite the Punch Bowl public house known locally as 'The Island'.
He attended Kingshurst County Junior School, in School Close, followed by Kingshurst Comprehensive in Cooks Lane.
Career honours
As a player
Aston Villa
Winner
- 1980/81 1st Division
- 1981/82 European Cup
Personal
Winner
- Most Outstanding Young Football Player in Europe (Bravo Award) 1982
- PFA Young Player of the Year 1981
External links
- Gary Shaw at Soccerbase
- Nobok.co.uk Player Profile
- Player profile at Aston Villa Players Database