Hugh Shaw

Who is Hugh Shaw?

Hugh Shaw was a Scottish association football player and manager, most notably with Hibernian. He played for Hibs during the interwar period, making his debut during the 1918–19 season. Shaw played as a half-back in the Hibs side that reached the Scottish Cup Finals of 1923 and 1924, losing to Celtic and Airdrie respectively.

Shaw was hired as Hibs' trainer by Willie McCartney after he was appointed manager in 1936. Hibs had fallen on hard times in the early 1930s, having suffered relegation for the first time in 1931 and then struggling to regain and retain Division One status. Through the late 1930s and the Second World War, McCartney built the great Hibs side that would largely dominate Scottish football in the late 1940s and early 1950s. 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. Although Matt Busby was linked with the job, 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 title.

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 21 April 1949. He guided the team to further league titles in 1951 and 1952, while narrowly missing out in 1950 and 1953. The team also entered the first European Cup competition, reaching the semi-final.