Many enthusiasts of Manx football, particularly those of an advanced age, will be saddened to hear of the passing of one of the stars of the game during the 1960s.

Colin Shaw, capped a number of times for the Isle of Man and many representative teams during the same period, left this life in the past fortnight.

’Shortie’, as he was known throughout the Manx footballing world, was born in November 1940 - as the youngest and the only lad in a family of four - to parents who lived at Hutchinson Square, Douglas.

He attended Murray’s Road, Ballakermeen and St Ninian’s schools achieving, in his own words, ’reasonable academic success’ in each.

However, it was his sporting prowess which dominated his life and his entry into the printing trade with an apprenticeship at the Isle of Man Examiner offices in Hill Street brought him into daily contact with a number of colleagues already involved in local football.

This was expanded when the merger with Isle of Man Times occurred and he enjoyed daily contact with the late Joe Cannell, the late Les Hewitt, Michael ’Mitch’ Gilbertson and Haydn Shimmin.

Shortie quickly established himself in the first team at DHSOB and was making a name for himself as a classy forward.

But the daily contact with Joe and Les bore fruit for St George’s as both Shortie and Mitch transferred to that team in 1961. Selection for the national team inevitably followed and he enjoyed a number of outings in and Isle of Man shirt.

Romance blossomed in 1963 and, following his marriage to Margaret Haggerty, whose parents ran the Saddle Inn on North Quay, the newly-weds departed for a spell of life in Kent.

A desire to move further afield was always present however and in 1964, Colin and Margaret departed for Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand.

Although he was quick to find a team in the area, his desire to play more competitively brought about a move to the capital, Auckland, in 1966, where he was employed by a printer with strong connections to a prominent local team - Blockhouse Bay.

Playing regularly for Blockhouse Bay, Colin’s ability as a striker was soon recognised by the New Zealand FA and he was selected for the national team on tour in November 1967 against Australia, South Vietnam and Malaysia.

He scored a hat-trick against Malaysia and one goal each in the other two matches. The following year New Zealand trounced Fiji 5-0 aided by another hat-trick from Colin and his final match was against New Caledonia in October 1968.

During all his sporting progress on distant shores, Shortie managed to launch his own printing company in Auckland, named very proudly, Manx Press which he and Margaret developed into a very successful operation.

Son David worked with Colin in the company, while daughter Colette with her own young family lives close by.

Always keen to talk of his Isle of Man heritage, Colin’s presence in the Manx and the New Zealand football worlds was well worthy of note.

Rest in Peace, my friend.

Colin Brown

Colin Brown was a close friend/colleague of Colin Shaw at the former Examiner office in Hill Street, a company of which he later became managing director. He later broke away from newspapers and was a founding director of Print Centres, later Mannin Media.