Shaw Hugh Image 2 Hibernians 1922

Description

Clydebank, Dunbartonshire born left half Hugh Shaw played joined Hibernian from Clydebank Juniors during last months of the First World War originally as a centre forward, making his Scottish League debut at Hamilton Academical in August 1918, but soon moved to play left half, a position he made his own. Over eight seasons at Easter Road Shaw scored 15 goals in 265 appearances and played in the Hibs sides that reached the Scottish Cup Finals of 1923 and 1924, losing to Celtic and Airdrie respectively.

Shaw left Hibs in the summer of 1926 to play for Glasgown Rangers. He made his Rangers debut in August against Dundee United and scored twice in 41 appearances for Rangers in the 1926-27 season as Rangers won the Scottish League Championship, but then moved to Heart of Midlothian at the end of the season. Shaw played in a Hearts team that threatened to challenge for the Scottish League Championship in 1928, but eventually finished fourth. In total he had three seasons at Tynecastle, scoring 4 goals in 62 appearances. He later played for East Fife in 1930, scoring once in 29 appearances, then 3 matches for Leith Athletic in 1932 and finished his playing career with Elgin City.

Shaw was hired as Hibs’ trainer by Willie McCartney in 1936, after McCartney had been appointed manager. Hibs had fallen on hard times in the early 1930’s, having suffered relegation to the Second Division for the first time in 1931 and then struggling to regain and retain Division One status. Through the late 1930’s and the Second World War, McCartney built the great Hibs side that would largely dominate Scottish football in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. With Hibs on top of the League midway through the 1947-48 season, however, McCartney collapsed during a Scottish Cup match and died later that night. Shaw was appointed as manager within the week, as Hibs faced a match against their main challengers, Rangers. Hibs won that match 1-0 with a goal in the last minute and went on to win the League Championship.

Shaw completed the Famous Five forward line by introducing Bobby Johnstone to the team in 1948, with all five playing together for the first time on 21st April 1949. He guided the team to further League Championships in 1951 and 1952, while also narrowly missing out in 1950 and 1953. The team also entered the first European Cup competition in 1955-56, reaching the semi-final.

The forward line was broken by the sale of Bobby Johnstone to Manchester City in 1955, and the remaining players were starting to age. Hibs continued to do well in reserve team football, but many of those players failed to impress in the first team, with the brilliant exception of Joe Baker. After the team struggled at the start of the 1961-62 season, Shaw resigned in November 1961. He then had a brief spell as Raith Rovers manager retiring from football in 1962.

In 2003, the Sunday Herald newspaper listed Shaw as 31st in their list of the 50 greatest Scottish football managers, noting his “sense and man-management skills”.