ASTON VILLA called it perfectly in their tribute to club legend Gary Shaw, who sadly died yesterday, aged 63.
“Shaw was the golden boy of Villa’s golden era,” the club said simply on its official website.
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With his shock of golden locks and winning smile, the kid from Kingshurst, Solihull could easily have been a star of the big screen if he’d fancied it.
Instead he became the local lad every kid kicking a ball in the streets of Brum wanted to be like – the only Brummie in that legendary line-up.
Sharp and tenacious on the park, with an eye for goal, he was at the heart of all that was good about Villa in those heady, halcyon days of the early 80’s when they won the title, European Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
He was one of their own – and remained that way until the end.
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But his admirers stretched well beyond the borders of Birmingham ….including one Diego Maradona!
When Villa beat Barcelona to win the European Super Cup, Shaw seemed to cover every blade of grass on the Nou Camp.
He terrorised Barca’s defence and impressed perhaps the world’s greatest ever player at the other end of the pitch.
Maradona was so impressed with Shaw’s performance he sent one of the club’s backroom staff to Villa’s dressing room with his shirt, with orders to bring back Shaw’s jersey as a swap.
However, Shaw later revealed the great man never got his wish – because Villa’s kitman argued shirts were far too expensive to hand out to opponents!
It was shameful that while Maradona recognised and appreciated Shaw’s abundant talent – his nation never truly did.
Although the baby-faced assassin won seven Under-21 caps and was voted England‘s and Europe’s Young Footballer of the Year, he was never awarded a full cap.
Despite scoring 79 goals in 213 appearances for Villa, including a quarter-final strike against Dynamo Kiev in the European Cup run – one of three he scored during that glorious Euro run – he never won a senior cap for England.
Ron Greenwood named him in his preliminary squad for the 1982 World Cup in Spain but axed him from his final selection.
England exited the tournament following goalless draws with Germany and Spain.
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“I’d just scored 24 goals, no penalties, no free-kicks, and I’m sitting on a beach in Ibiza having a San Miguel,” he said.
But it was Villa Park which was his kingdom until a terrible knee injury suffered at Nottingham Forest shortened what should have been an even longer, even more glorious career.
He tried to prolong his stellar career with moves to Copenhagen, Kilmarnock, Austria and Hong Kong before he retired in 1992.
He later worked as a statistical analyst for the Press Association and OPTA and was a matchday ambassador for his beloved Villa.
One kid he coached, during a spell as a Villa Youth coach, was fortunate that some of Shaw’s magic rubbed off on him.
Gabby Agbonlahor went on to become Villa’s greatest ever Premier League goalscorer with 74 goals.
Last night he paid tribute to the player he worshipped as a kid and respected as a mentor.
“He used to take me, Luke and Stefan Moore, Darius Vassell off for shooting drills,” Agbonlahor said.
“He took the strikers, practiced finishing with us, showed us the art of goalscoring.
“He should have been the guy who told everyone what he had done and what a good player he was but he just concentrated on coaching.
“He never mentioned what he achieved. He was so humble. He was a local lad like me.
“He was a genuinely nice guy. It’s devastating news.
“I hope the club gives him the send off that a true legend of the club deserves.”
