The news of Gary Shaw’s passing has shocked the footballing world, with the Aston Villa hero leaving some incredible memories behind.
Aston Villa are beyond blessed to have some truly great players don the Claret & Blue colours over the decades.
Shaw will go down in Villa legend, with the former striker playing a huge part in the club’s Division One triumph in 1981, before the European Cup success of 1982.
Whilst Shaw is regarded as one of Villa’s best-ever players, he was also part of the greatest period of the club’s history.
The boyhood Villa fan would have seen many top players grace the Villa Park turf growing up, as well as playing alongside some of the best.
In 2015, Shaw sat down with Aston Villa in a Q&A where he opened up about his time at the club, his heroes, the success stories and the best player he played with.
Villa fans won’t be surprised to hear that Shaw named Brian Little as someone who just wasn’t his boyhood hero, but the best player he played with.
Little helped Villa rise back through the leagues from the old third division, as well as winning two League Cups as a player. He would do the same as a manager.
Not only was the one-club striker an iconic figure as a player, but he was also the last man to win a trophy for the club back in 1996.
Gary Shaw hails Brian Little
“At the Villa, it was Bruce Rioch and Brian Little,” said Shaw about his boyhood heroes in 2015. “But I’ve got quite a few and from various sports really.”
On the best player: “When I came through Brian Little was still there but he was struggling with injuries,” Shaw added.
“He was a superb player who had the lot – pace, passing and vision. I had the burden of taking over his No. 8 shirt.”
Unai Emery hoping to win a trophy with Aston Villa
As mentioned above, Little was the last man to win a trophy for Villa and it has been far too long since the club witnessed any silverware.
Villa’s Europa Conference League failure and semi-final defeat to Olympiacos last season was difficult to take, but it was deserved.
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Emery has had great success in Europe and now Villa fans are hoping he can sprinkle some of that magic onto them.
Villa return to the Champions League on Tuesday when they take on Young Boys in Switzerland after their dramatic win over Everton at the weekend.
The team will give it a right go in Europe, but with the League Cup starting next week and then the FA Cup in the New Year, you feel, those are the two competitions Villa should be pushing to win.
