Paul Shrubb (1 August 1955 – 28 May 2020) was an English professional footballer, coach and scout who made 350 appearances as a player in the Football League, most notably for Brentford and Aldershot. He later returned to Aldershot as assistant manager and coached at a number of non-League clubs.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Shrubb[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 1 August 1955[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Guildford, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 28 May 2020 (aged 64)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Guildford, England[1] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Utility player | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1975 | Fulham | 1 | (0) |
| 1975–1976 | Hellenic | ||
| 1977–1982 | Brentford | 182 | (8) |
| 1982–1987 | Aldershot | 174 | (5) |
| 1987–1989 | Woking | ||
| 1989–1990 | Dorking | ||
| 1990–1991 | Leatherhead | ||
| 1991 | Fleet Town | ||
| 1991–1992 | Cove | ||
| 1992–1995 | Aldershot Town | 31 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1995 | Aldershot Town (caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
editFulham
editShrubb began his career in the youth system at Second Division club Fulham and signed his first professional contract in 1972.[4] He made his debut during the 1972–73 season, which would be his only appearance before his departure in 1975.[5]
Hellenic
editShrubb moved to South Africa to sign for National Football League club Hellenic in 1975.[6] The high point of his time with the club was reaching the final of the 1976 NFL Cup, which was lost to Cape Town City.[7]
Brentford
editShrubb returned to England and joined Fourth Division club Brentford in March 1977.[6] With a small squad of players, Shrubb blossomed as a utility player in defence and midfield and contributed to the Bees' promotion to the Third Division in the 1977–78 season.[6] Shrubb took over as captain from Jackie Graham for a time, while Graham was out injured.[6] Shrubb missed only a handful of games per season until the 1981–82 campaign, when he was dropped early in the season.[8] He departed the Bees in August 1982, having made 198 appearances and scored eight goals during his five years with the club.[6]
Aldershot
editShrubb signed for Fourth Division club Aldershot in August 1982.[9] He made 202 appearances and scored six goals during a five-season spell and departed after the Shots' success in the 1987 Fourth Division play-off final.[10][11] He put his skills as a utility player to good use, wearing every single shirt number (1–11) during his time with the club.[6]
Non-League football
editShrubb dropped into non-League football in 1987 and had spells with Isthmian League clubs Woking, Dorking, Leatherhead, Cove and Wessex League club Fleet Town.[9]
Return to Aldershot
editShrubb signed for Isthmian League Third Division phoenix club Aldershot Town in 1992.[9] The Shots won the Third Division championship during the 1992–93 season and secured promotion to First Division in the following campaign.[12] He made 31 appearances before retiring in January 1995.[9][13] Shrubb was awarded a testimonial versus Charlton Athletic on 1 August 2007, in recognition of his service to the club.[14]
Management and coaching career
editBetween 1987 and 1992, Shrubb held player-coach roles with Woking, Dorking, Leatherhead, Fleet Town and Cove.[9] When he returned to Aldershot in 1992, he became player-assistant manager of the club and was caretaker manager for one match in 1995, after the departure of Steve Wignall.[5] He was offered the job on a permanent basis but turned it down, citing work commitments.[15] After his retirement from playing, Shrubb served as Steve Wigley's assistant, before departing the Recreation Ground for the final time in 1997.[13] He later served Hampton and Kingstonian as a coach and resigned from the latter club in April 2001, in protest over the sacking of fellow coach Ian McDonald.[16]
Scouting career
editShrubb served as a scout at Charlton Athletic, Plymouth Argyle and AFC Wimbledon.[13][17] While with Plymouth Argyle, he worked alongside former Aldershot teammate Andy King.[18]
Personal life
editShrubb lived in Aldershot and ran his own window cleaning business.[14][19] As of 2014, he was living in Ash, Surrey.[20] Shrubb was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in January 2006 and was given two years to live by doctors.[19][21] The condition forced him to give up full-time work in 2009.[19] Shrubb died of the disease in May 2020.[2]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Fulham | 1972–73[1] | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brentford | 1976–77[8] | Fourth Division | 13 | 2 | — | — | 13 | 2 | ||
| 1977–78[8] | 45 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 1 | ||
| 1978–79[8] | Third Division | 39 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
| 1979–80[8] | 39 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 1 | ||
| 1980–81[8] | 42 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82[8] | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 182 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 198 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 183 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 199 | 8 | ||
Honours
editBrentford
- Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1977–78[8]
Aldershot/Aldershot Town
- Football League Fourth Division play-offs: 1986–87[22]
- Isthmian League Second Division third-place promotion: 1993–94[22]
- Isthmian League Third Division: 1992–93[22]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Paul Shrubb". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ a b "Club Statement: Paul Shrubb". Aldershot Town FC. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
- ^ "Guest of the Day Against Rochdale – Paul Shrubb". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Club Records – Managers – Caretakers History". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. pp. 144–145. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ "South Africa Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 394–396. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ a b c d e "Paul Shrubb: 1993/1994 Biography & Statistics". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Aldershot F.C Players Appearances & Goalscorers". www.mselliott.plus.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Paul Shrubb at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- ^ Aldershot Town F.C. at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b c "Paul Shrubb to be guest for Brentford replay". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Paul Shrubb Testimonial Heads Pre Season List". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Non League Football: Chapple in the Shots' frame – Sport". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Paul Shrubb Resigns". kingstonian.net. 3 April 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "All About: AFC Wimbledon". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Ex-Player News". Aldershot Town Football Club. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ a b c "Paul's life with MND". Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Tribute To Paul Shrubb". Bees United. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Shots Chairman Takes Public Ice Bucket Challenge For Local Hospice". Aldershot Town FC. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ a b c "Paul Shrubb: Happy 60th Birthday". Aldershot Town FC. August 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2019.