Gary Shaw
Encyclopedia
Gary Shaw was an English football striker
who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980s. His goals helped Aston Villa win the English 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
. He was also included in the 40-strong preliminary England World Cup squad for the 1982 finals; however, he was not picked in the final 22.
His promising Villa career was effectively ended after sustaining a knee injury in an away game at Nottingham Forest. 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 1987–88, when he was sold to Klagenfurt in Austria. He finished his career off at Kilmarnock, Shrewsbury, Walsall and the Hong Kong-based Ernest Borel FC.
Shaw gained seven caps for the England under-21s.
As a boy he 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.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980s. His goals helped Aston Villa win the English First Division championship in 1980–81 and the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
the following year - the only Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
-born player in the team. In 1981 he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
. He was also included in the 40-strong preliminary England World Cup squad for the 1982 finals; however, he was not picked in the final 22.
His promising Villa career was effectively ended after sustaining a knee injury in an away game at Nottingham Forest. 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 1987–88, when he was sold to Klagenfurt in Austria. He finished his career off at Kilmarnock, Shrewsbury, Walsall and the Hong Kong-based Ernest Borel FC.
Shaw gained seven caps for the England under-21s.
As a boy he lived in Meriden Drive, Kingshurst
Kingshurst
Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands. It lies about east of Birmingham city centre...
, 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.
Aston Villa
Winner- 1980/81 1st Division
- 1981/82 European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Personal
Winner- Most Outstanding Young Football Player in EuropeBravo AwardThe Bravo Award is an annual award which is handed out by the Italian magazine Guerin Sportivo to the most outstanding young European footballer. The first winner of the award was English Jimmy Case. Until 1992 only under-23 players participating in one of the three European club cups were eligible...
(Bravo Award) 1982 - PFA Young Player of the YearPFA Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
1981