Former Aston Villa striker Gary Shaw has passed away at the age of 63 following a fall, Villa announced on Monday. He played a significant role in helping the team win the league title in 1981 and the European Cup the following year. Shaw emerged through the youth system at Aston Villa and scored 79 goals in 213 appearances for the club. The team released a statement offering condolences and stating how shocked and saddened they are by the news of Shaw’s passing.
Shaw received numerous individual honors, including the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year in 1981 and the European Young Player of the Year in 1982. Despite his success, he only played for England’s Under-21 team seven times. In addition to Villa, Shaw played for Blackpool, Walsall, Kilmarnock, and Shrewsbury Town.
Shaw retired from football in 1992 and subsequently worked as a statistical analyst, providing in-match data for home games at both Aston Villa and Kidderminster Harriers. He continued to be involved in football by working as a club ambassador at Villa Park while remaining a popular figure among journalists, ex-teammates, and fans alike.
Current Villa manager Unai Emery has expressed his desire to win their Champions League opener against Young Boys on Tuesday in memory of Shaw. He referred to Shaw as a protagonist of Villa’s European Cup victory in 1982 and indicated that he wants the memory of Shaw to serve as motivation for his players to secure a win for their fans and Shaw’s family. Villa have not played in Europe’s top club competition for over 40 years and have a challenging group that includes the likes of Atletico Madrid and Porto
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