Introduction
Gary Robert Shaw (born 21 January 1961) is an English former 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 effectively ended 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'. After his recovery, 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 SK Austria Klagenfurt in Austria in 1989. He finished his career off at Walsall, Kilmarnock, Shrewsbury Town and the Hong Kong-based Ernest Borel FC.
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.
Personal life
As a boy, Shaw 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.
Honours
Player
Club
- Aston Villa
- 1st Division: 1980–81
- European Cup: 1981–82
Individual
- Bravo Award (Awarded to the Most Outstanding Young Footballer in Europe): 1982
- PFA Young Player of the Year: 1981
- PFA Team of the Year: 1980–81