Inquest Concludes Aston Villa Legend Gary Shaw’s Death Caused by Fall Injury

An inquest has concluded that Aston Villa legend Gary Shaw died due to a severe head injury sustained from a fall. The 63-year-old had been out with friends on September 5 and was discovered by a neighbor, collapsed on the pavement outside his home, at 01:20 BST on September 6, the court was informed. The former striker was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he passed away from his injury on September 16. Senior Coroner Louise Hunt delivered a verdict of accidental death at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner’s Court. Shaw advanced through the youth ranks at his boyhood club, ultimately scoring 79 goals in 213 matches for Villa. He was honored as the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year in 1981 and the European Young Player of the Year in 1982. The former England Under-21s striker also played for Blackpool, Walsall, Kilmarnock, and Shrewsbury Town. After retiring from football in 1992, he worked as a statistical analyst and served as a club ambassador at Villa Park. In October, crowds gathered at the stadium to pay their respects as his funeral cortege passed by on its journey to Sutton Coldfield Crematorium, where the service took place.