Gary Shaw, Aston Villa legend, dies at 63

Gary Shaw, the former Aston Villa striker who played a crucial role in the club’s unexpected European Cup victory in 1982, has passed away at the age of 63.

Shaw was an integral part of the Villa team that clinched the First Division title in 1981 and then triumphed over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final the following year.

Shaw’s passing follows a recent hospitalization due to a head injury sustained from a fall.

His contributions to Aston Villa’s historic achievements remain a significant part of the club’s legacy.

“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,” a statement 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, who asked Aston Villa to release a statement on their behalf.”

Shaw’s death came on the eve of Villa’s first match in the Champions League for 41 years.

Unai Emery’s side face Young Boys in Switzerland on Tuesday and the Villa manager urged his team to win the match in tribute to Shaw.

“My condolences to the family and all the supporters at Villa,” said Emery, whose team will wear black armbands for the fixture in Bern.

“We have a memory always, in our training ground a picture of 1982 and the European Cup. He was a protagonist of that. My condolences to them.

Shaw joined Villa as an apprentice and went on to score 79 times in 213 appearances, including 20 goals in their 1981 title-winning campaign.

He was named PFA Young Player of the Year after Villa’s first English title since 1910.

Gary Shaw, a pivotal figure in Aston Villa’s 1982 European Cup triumph, scored three crucial goals, including a memorable quarter-final strike against Dynamo Kiev.

Shaw’s joy was immense, especially as fellow striker Peter Withe’s winner against Bayern Munich took the team to new heights.

However, just a year later, Shaw’s promising career was derailed by a knee injury sustained against Nottingham Forest, leading to six operations and early retirement.

After leaving Villa in 1988, Shaw had brief stints in Denmark, Austria, and with clubs like Walsall, Kilmarnock, and Shrewsbury before retiring in 1992.

He later served as a statistical analyst and matchday ambassador for Aston Villa, remaining closely tied to the club that defined his career.