Former Aston Villa striker Gary Shaw, a key figure in the club’s remarkable European Cup victory in 1982, passed away on Monday at the age of 63. Shaw, who was instrumental in Villa’s First Division title win in 1981, played a crucial role in their unexpected triumph over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final the following year.
He had recently been hospitalized due to a head injury sustained in a fall. Ahead of Villa’s match against Young Boys in Switzerland, current manager Unai Emery called on his team to secure a win in Shaw’s honor.
Shaw, a Birmingham native, joined Villa as an apprentice and scored 79 goals in 213 appearances, including 20 during their 1981 title-winning season. He famously celebrated the club’s European Cup success, with Peter Withe’s goal sealing the victory over Bayern in Rotterdam. Shaw’s pride in the victory was immense, having grown up near the club.
Unfortunately, Shaw’s promising career was cut short due to a knee injury sustained in a match against Nottingham Forest the year after Villa’s European triumph. After six surgeries, he retired in 1992, following brief stints with clubs in Denmark, Austria, and lower leagues in England.
After retiring, Shaw worked as a statistical analyst and served as a matchday ambassador for Villa. He earned the PFA Young Player of the Year award following Villa’s first league title in over seven decades and contributed three goals during their successful European Cup run, including a crucial quarter-final goal against Dynamo Kiev.
