‘A real life superhero’ Gary Shaw, European Cup winner for Villa, dies aged 63

17 Sep 2024 - The Guardian

Ben Fisher

‘He never mentioned what he achieved – he was so humble’

   - Gabby Agbonlahor, Former Aston Villa forward

Gary Shaw, one of Aston Villa’s 1982 European Cup heroes, has been described as “a hero on and off the pitch” after his death at the age of 63. The former striker fell seriously ill this month after being admitted to hospital with a head injury.

He was part of a revered Villa side that enjoyed unparalleled success in the early 80s, winning the First Division in 1981 under Ron Saunders and in 1982 the European Cup and the European Super Cup.

His performances earned him the accolade of Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year in 1981 and European Young Player of the Year in 1982. He was included in England’s 40-man preliminary squad for the 1982 World Cup in Spain but missed out on a final spot in the 22-man squad.

He is regarded as one of Villa’s greatest forwards having scored 79 goals in 213 appearances for the club after joining as a 16-year-old apprentice. Born in Kingshurst, Solihull, Shaw, who idolised Bruce Rioch and Brian Little as a boyhood Villa supporter, was the local hero at the heart of Villa’s greatest day.

“Aston Villa Football Club is deeply shocked and profoundly saddened to learn that Gary Shaw, one of our European Cup-winning heroes, has passed away,” the club said.

“Gary was one of our own, a talented striker who delighted supporters with his goalscoring exploits which helped fire Villa to success in the 1980s. Individual accolades would also follow for a player who was idolised by many on the terraces.

He passed away peacefully earlier today surrounded by his family.”

Shaw’s part in Villa’s European Cup-winning goal is immortalised on a banner that has been a fixture on the North Stand. The banner, quoting Brian Moore’s commentary of Peter Withe’s match-winning goal against Bayern Munich in Rotterdam, reads: “Shaw, [Gary] Williams, prepared to venture down the left. There’s a good ball played in for Tony Morley. Oh, it must be and it is! Peter Withe!”

Shaw left Villa for the Danish side Kjøbenhavns Boldklub in 1988 after a difficult period marred by a knee injury sustained at Nottingham Forest five years earlier which he later said “killed my career” and cost him England caps. He left soon afterwards for Austria, signing for the now-dissolved club Klagenfurt, but returned to the Midlands with Walsall in 1990 before joining Kilmarnock and Shrewsbury Town. He finished his playing career in Hong Kong with Ernest Borel FC.

After retiring, Shaw worked as a sports media analyst for the Press Association and as a data analyst for Opta. Last month he covered Villa’s 2-1 victory at Leicester’s King Power Stadium and was a popular figure in press rooms.

A number of former Villa players paid tribute. “I was lucky enough to be coached by him from the age of 14 to 17,” Gabby Agbonlahor said. “He used to take me, Luke and Stefan Moore, Darius Vassell off for drills. He took the strikers, did finishing with us, showed us the art of goalscoring. But he never mentioned what he achieved – he was so humble. He should have been the guy who told everyone what he had done and what a good player he was. But he just concentrated on coaching the players.”

Stan Collymore wrote on X: “You were a real life superhero … You made a little boy dream big, fall in love with you, our club and the beautiful game. You were my hero on the pitch but most importantly my hero off it. The loveliest of men.”

The former Villa player and manager Brian Little wrote on X: “Gave Shawsy my number 8 shirt when I retired ... he took it to another level ... R.I.P.”