Gary Shaw was an explosive striker who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980's. His goals helped Aston Villa win the English 1st 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, prelimanary 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 - Ian Bowyer tried to help Shaw up even though his ligaments were damaged and though he continued to play for Villa until 1987/8, he wasn't the same player and was sold to Klagenfurt in Austria. He finished his career off at Kilmarnock, Shrewsbury and Walsall.