Gary Shaw - RIP

[Duncan Shaw]

Besides his goals he played a key part in 2 of our most iconic goals, Dennis v Liverpool and obviously Bayern.

Plus Tony Morley's goal of the season at Everton of course!

[dalians umbrella]

Fantastic photos PurpleTrousers

[itmustbe_it is!]

Wishing Gary and family and friends all the best, hoping for some good news.

Sad I can’t make it tomorrow as too late for the little ones.

Decided to do it all in one go, you’ll notice the close up of one question in his first Sports Argus Column. You can’t imagine how proud I was when we got the Argus that Saturday, no doubt taking the clipping into school as a ?6/7 yo.
Didn’t compare to being the only kid in my school who got to Rotterdam though!
Forever grateful for so much of my wonderful childhood.
Would love to sing his song on 8mins, better than applause. I’d probably cry if I was there.

I will be singing , hopefully not on my own

[martin o`who??]

Besides his goals he played a key part in 2 of our most iconic goals, Dennis v Liverpool and obviously Bayern.

Plus Tony Morley's goal of the season at Everton of course!

leaving a German international flat on his arse before absolutely slide-ruling Morley in is something i'll never tire of watching.

[dicedlam]

Thanks for sharing purpletrousers.

[andyh]

the crowd singing his song on 8 minutes would be touching and incredible

[Hookeysmith]

the crowd singing his song on 8 minutes would be touching and incredible

Fantastic idea

[Villan For Life]

Wonderful pics, Purple Trousers. Thanks for sharing them.

[Percy McCarthy]

Besides his goals he played a key part in 2 of our most iconic goals, Dennis v Liverpool and obviously Bayern.

And Morley’s goal of the season.

[Percy McCarthy]

Great stuff Purple, thanks for posting. As for his answer to your question, I have something that may be apocryphal to add.

For those of you who have read my book ‘Gangsters etc’ there was a character in it called Hands of Stone. He was based on a real person, one of my best mates, who played in the same team as Gary when they were both schoolboys - North Warwick. Now, Hands is a bluenose, which gives the story he told me a bit of credibility in my opinion. He said that after one game a bloke came into the dressing room, said he was a Man Utd scout, and offered Gary a trial. The answer he got was short and to the point:

“You’re wasting your time mate, there’s only one team I’m gonna play for”.

I went to school with Gary, and I know for a fact that he was Villa mad, on a par with the most passionate of us in our school, so the story doesn’t surprise me in the least.

[purpletrousers]

Thanks Percy and everyone. I quite like my little home made scrap books contain’s Gary’s debut Argus & Shoot columns, worth a read I think.
 I quite like the description of Saunders showing a caring side.
Gary Shaw was definitely my first hero, I’ll never be able to thank my Dad enough for ensuring I had a ST for 80/81, going to local aways (and Highbury) and of course the ‘family holiday’ as my School Hesdmistress was informed with my Dad & Gramps the following year.

In the end Sid became my favourite - I guess not just because of talent but longevity.

There are memories of lovely moments of meeting the players in the days when you had the freedom of Bodymoor Heath, and the chance to recall some of those meetings with a few of them  at the Rotterdam 20th anniversary dinner.

But the golden boy was my first hero.

If you are going, sing his song tomorrow for me.

[JD]

Thanks Percy and everyone. I quite like my little home made scrap books contain’s Gary’s debut Argus & Shoot columns, worth a read I think.
 I quite like the description of Saunders showing a caring side.
Gary Shaw was definitely my first hero, I’ll never be able to thank my Dad enough for ensuring I had a ST for 80/81, going to local aways (and Highbury) and of course the ‘family holiday’ as my School Hesdmistress was informed with my Dad & Gramps the following year.

In the end Sid became my favourite - I guess not just because of talent but longevity.

There are memories of lovely moments of meeting the players in the days when you had the freedom of Bodymoor Heath, and the chance to recall some of those meetings with a few of them  at the Rotterdam 20th anniversary dinner.

But the golden boy was my first hero.

If you are going, sing his song tomorrow for me.

Great pictures PT, thank you for posting them. Brought back some great memories of a mighty fine player.

[Ian.]

I went to a book-launch in Brighton last night, about the never-quite-made-it indie musician Lawrence, a Brummie lad who led bands called Felt, Denim and most recently Mozart Estate.

Now 61 and still dreaming of pop stardom, the story of his life may end-up being more successful than his music career was. Strong reviews and sales so far.

Anyway...he wrote a catchy little song a decade or so ago with a whole verse dedicated to Gary. So when the book talk was over and he was signing copies, I went up to him and mentioned I was a Villa fan and asked him had he heard the recent news about Gary Shaw. He was shocked. He said he'd grown-up in the same area and knew him as a kid and that when the song had come out, Gary had sent him a card to thank him which meant a lot to Lawrence. He, of course, wished the best for our hero.

I have mates in their mid 60s who had middling success in the early 80s of the same mindset. It's a thing with singer songwriters they never hang up their boots.

Great story by the way.

Lovely story eamonn.

[Ian.]

That’s brilliant purpletrousers, thanks for sharing.

[saint13]

I went to a book-launch in Brighton last night, about the never-quite-made-it indie musician Lawrence, a Brummie lad who led bands called Felt, Denim and most recently Mozart Estate.

Now 61 and still dreaming of pop stardom, the story of his life may end-up being more successful than his music career was. Strong reviews and sales so far.

Anyway...he wrote a catchy little song a decade or so ago with a whole verse dedicated to Gary. So when the book talk was over and he was signing copies, I went up to him and mentioned I was a Villa fan and asked him had he heard the recent news about Gary Shaw. He was shocked. He said he'd grown-up in the same area and knew him as a kid and that when the song had come out, Gary had sent him a card to thank him which meant a lot to Lawrence. He, of course, wished the best for our hero.

Funnily enough I was telling my Mrs about Lawrence and Felt on Sunday when one of the National Newspapers ran an article prior to the book launch.

In was into Felt and had their LP's when I was in my teens. When at the University of Birmingham, (circa 1988), I had a job behind the bar at the Trocadero in town. I was in there one night chatting away to a bloke at the bar and I asked him what he did for a living. Quite nonchalantly, he said I am a singer in a band. Oh yeah I said, which band? He said Felt, and to his surprise, I said skeptically ...you're Lawrence...nice one I'm a big fan. I have always wondered to this day if it was him, (I dont think it was). I had never seen a picture of him before, so i didnt know. However, he was not at all what I imagined Lawrence to be, so I suspected it was a line he trotted out and was surprised that someone had heard of him, (I only knew of one other person who had ever heard of Felt). I will never know if it was him or not, unless he reads this. Oh well good luck to them both!