Emery urges Villa to win opener for club legend Shaw

Shaw was a member of the Villa side that won European Cup in 1982 and with Villa making a debut in the present-day Champions League in Switzerland on Tuesday, Emery wants to pay the perfect tribute. 

"My condolences to the family and all the supporters at Villa," he said. 

"We have a memory always, in our training ground a picture of 1982 and the European Cup, he was a protagonist of that. My condolences to them. 

"Yes, I think it's sad and we can use it as motivation." 

Villa will wear black armbands for their fixture in the Swiss capital. 

The forward had been in hospital after suffering a head injury in a recent fall. 

Shaw was part of a formidable front three, alongside Peter Withe and Tony Morley, as Villa won the league in 1981 and the European Cup in 1982, beating Bayern Munich in the final. 

A club statement read: "Aston Villa Football Club is deeply shocked and profoundly saddened to learn that Gary Shaw, one of our European Cup-winning heroes, has passed away. 

"Gary was one of our own, a talented striker who delighted supporters with his goalscoring exploits which helped fire Villa to success in the 1980s. Individual accolades would also follow for a player who was idolised by many on the terraces. 

"He passed away peacefully earlier today surrounded by his family, who asked Aston Villa to release a statement on their behalf." 

Solihull-born Shaw joined Villa as an apprentice and went on to score 79 times in 213 appearances, including 20 in their title-winning campaign, after which he was named PFA Young Player of the Year. 

Injuries hampered his career and he left Villa in 1988 but his links with the club remained strong and he coached their academy players, including striker Gabby Agbonlahor. 

"I was lucky enough to be coached by him from the age of 14 to 17," said Agbonlahor.

"He took the strikers, did finishing with us, showed us the art of goalscoring. 

"But he never mentioned what he achieved. He was so humble."