Joe Shaw

Born in Bury, Lancashire, Shaw first played for his home club, Bury, and then Accrington Stanley, helping the side win the Lancashire Combination. Shaw then moved south to London, joining Woolwich Arsenal in 1907. He made his debut against Preston North End on 28 September 1907, and had soon become a regular in the Arsenal side; he was first-choice left back for the next seven seasons. Although the club had shown early promise since their promotion to the First Division in 1904, with two successive FA Cup semi-final appearances in the seasons before Shaw's arrival, they soon quickly faded. After a high of sixth place in 1908-09, Woolwich Arsenal soon found themselves in trouble, and were relegated in 1912-13. Despite this, Shaw stayed with the club as they moved across London to Highbury, and was an ever-present in the final 1914-15 season prior to first-class football being suspended for World War I. He continued to play during unofficial wartime matches, and by the time competitive football had resumed, he had made the switch to right back. In 1919 he was made Arsenal captain, succeeding the recently departed Percy Sands. By this time Arsenal were back in the First Division, and Shaw continued to play until the age of 38. In 1922 he had made his 300th first-class appearance against Newcastle United on 23 April 1921 becoming the third player in the club's history to do so, after Sands and Roddy McEachrane. In all he played 326 matches for the club, although he never scored…