Villa legend Shaw dies aged 63 after fall

Former Aston Villa striker Gary Shaw has died aged 63 from injuries sustained successful a fall.

The 63-year-old helped Villa triumph nan 1981 convention title and nan European Cup successful 1982.

Shaw came done nan younker ranks astatine his boyhood nine and went connected to people 79 goals successful 213 games for Villa.

"Aston Villa Football Club is profoundly shocked and profoundly saddened to study that Gary Shaw, 1 of our European Cup-winning heroes, has passed away," nan nine said connected Monday.

"Gary was 1 of our own, a talented striker who delighted supporters pinch his goalscoring exploits which helped occurrence Villa to occurrence successful nan 1980s. Individual accolades would besides travel for a subordinate who was idolised by galore connected nan terraces.

"He passed distant peacefully earlier coming surrounded by his family, who asked Aston Villa to merchandise a connection connected their behalf.

"The thoughts of everyone astatine nan nine are pinch Gary's family and loved ones astatine this highly difficult time."

Shaw was named nan Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of nan Year successful 1981 and European Young Player of nan Year successful 1982.

The erstwhile England Under-21 striker besides played for Blackpool, Walsall, Kilmarnock and Shrewsbury Town.

He had worked arsenic a statistical expert since retiring from shot successful 1992 and was a nine ambassador astatine Villa Park.

Ged Scott, BBC Sport

If Gary Shaw had played successful nan modern game, he would person won much than conscionable 7 England Under-21 caps.

He was much than bully capable to person go an established afloat England international.

He mightiness person had playboy looks and his ain terrace chant - "When he gets nan ball, he scores a goal, Ga-ry, Ga-ry Shaw" - but pinch doubly European footballer of nan twelvemonth Kevin Keegan and Trevor Francis successful his way, he was up against stiff opposition.

Having made his Villa debut early connected successful nan 1978-79 season, Shaw sewage his chance erstwhile Andy Gray was sold to Wolves successful September 1979, coupled pinch nan injuries that wrecked Brian Little's career.

Shaw vanished Villa apical scorer successful 1979-80, but it was Ron Saunders' signing of Peter Withe, already a convention title victor pinch Nottingham Forest, arsenic his onslaught partner up beforehand that transformed Villa.

Together, nan operation of large target man Withe and quicksilver Shaw alongside him turned Villa first into convention champions successful May 1981, past European champions successful 1982.

In nan league, arsenic portion of a Villa broadside that utilized conscionable 14 players successful 42 games, they notched a mixed 38 goals (Withe's 20 to Shaw's 18) to gain nan nine a first convention title successful 71 years.

And, though nan goals comparatively dried successful nan convention nan pursuing play arsenic Shaw missed 16 games done injury, he and Withe some scored 3 times each en way to beating Bayern Munich 1-0 to triumph nan European Cup successful Rotterdam.

But it was not capable to gain him a spot successful Ron Greenwood's 22-man England squad for nan World Cup that summer.

Although he and Villa skipper Dennis Mortimer were named successful nan first 40-man squad, it was only Withe who made nan level to Spain, alongside Keegan, Francis, Tony Woodcock and Paul Mariner arsenic nan different chosen strikers.

Other than scoring successful nan two-leg European Super Cup triumph complete Barcelona nan pursuing season, that nighttime successful Rotterdam turned retired to beryllium nan item of Shaw's profession when, successful September 1983, he sustained nan knee wounded that yet ended his career.

He carried connected playing successful Denmark and Austria, arsenic good arsenic astatine Walsall, Kilmarnock and Shrewsbury Town, earlier finishing successful Hong Kong successful 1992.

But he remained progressive successful shot done his activity arsenic a statistical analyst, supplying in-match information for location games astatine some Villa and Kidderminster Harriers, wherever he besides became a regular, celebrated figure.

And, successful later seasons, he was besides progressive backmost astatine Villa arsenic a nine ambassador, still fondly remembered by doe-eyed fans, journalists and ex-team-mates arsenic 'Shawsy', nan blond bombshell striker pinch nan surest of touches successful beforehand of goal.