Are you Pat Rice in disguise?

By Tony Attwood

This is a continuation of the series of articles about players who played for the opening match of the Arsenal season 100 years ago.   This piece is about a player whose career was so similar to Pat Rice’s you will be amazed!  The player is…

Joseph Ebenezer Shaw – a name to conjure with, although in reality he was known as Joe Shaw.

Joe Shaw was born May 7, 1883 (Arsenal, the football facts has 1882) and died in September 1963 aged 80 after a lifetime of service to Arsenal.  He is one of the handful of men who need a plaque of remembrance in the club’s precincts.

He played 309 league games as a full back for Woolwich Arsenal and then Arsenal never scoring a goal.  He was Arsenal’s captain, and only the third player to clock up 300 games (the earlier two also being in the 1910 opening side: Percy Sands and Roddy McEachrane.)

Joe Shaw started out with Bury, where he was born, and then moved on to Accrington Stanley, before reaching Plumstead in 1907.  It is worth noting in passing that while Accrington are remembered as founders of the original football league they resigned in 1893, and that this time were in non-league football (they returned in 1921).   Bury however were a first division club who had come 5th as recently as 1901.

When Shaw came J Sharp was the left back regular and in his first season he made a couple of appearances when Sharp was injured – his first against Preston on September 28 1907 (losing 0-3 away).   But from the start of the following season Shaw was the first choice, playing between 28 and 38 games a season until 1921 – moving to right back after the War.  By the 1921-22 season he was 38, but still he started out in the side, playing the first two games, but age took its toll then only managed six more, ending in a 1-0 defeat away to Manchester United on March 11, 1922, a couple of months short of his 38th birthday.

Thus Joe Shaw was a player who joined the club in the First Division, was there with the relegation, moved to Highbury, and was there for the return to the top league in 1919 – when he was made captain.  He would have played many more games and possibly held our record number of appearances, had it not been for the four war years when no official football was played.

When he finished playing for Arsenal (after 326 games including the FA Cup matches) he became manager of Arsenal Reserves, and upon the death of Herbert Chapman he took over the first team for the rest of the season. When George Allison came along he went back to the reserves.  Not exactly Pat Rice (full back, temporary manager before Wenger), but not far off.

He stayed on at the club during the second world war and then became assistant manager to Tom Whittaker, before being a “club ambassador”.   He retired in 1956 after an amazing 49 years working for Arsenal – and (if I may add a personal note) he is the first connection (outside of my family of Arsenal fans) between me and Woolwich Arsenal.  I made my first trips to Highbury while Joe Shaw was still there.  Tenuous I know, but still…

I am not sure how I am going to manage any sort of campaign to get recognition for some of these amazing heroes of Arsenal that are being unearthed in this series, but I really will have a go.

The remembrance plans so far…

Jack Humble – club founder who stayed with the club until 1929

The Manor Ground – a plaque showing where Arsenal played

Joe Shaw – player, manager, ambassador – a lifetime at Arsenal

Percy Sands – The Arsenal’s first captain

Woolwich Arsenal

Making the Arsenal

Untold Arsenal

8 Replies to “Are you Pat Rice in disguise?”

  1. Nice that you got the oft missed fact that he took over the manager part of the sec/manager job for half a season after Chapman passed.

    Another fact about him that is little known is that the very last match we played in Plumstead before moving to Highbury was a benefit match for Mr Shaw (against Middlesbrough) that raised the princely sum of £150.

  2. Another little known fact is that on the morning of his last match his wife asked him what he’d like for dessert, upon which he replied “Rice Pudding” – however Rice Pudding had’nt been invented at the time at which point his wife became suspicious and when she looked out the kitchen window and saw the skid marks and slightly burned garden shed she immediately knew he’d been time travelling again which is where he must have learned about the “Rice Pudding” anyhoo Mildred made the rice pudding from an old recipe her future daughter left for her in the time machine and when she brought it to the table Joseph Ebeneezer Shaw said dont forget to “pat” the rice down with a spoon – upon which the two of them started laughing as they knew from their time travels “Pat “The Pudding” Rice” would become Joes illegitimate grandson.

  3. Hey Ralph – where are you getting your research? I am not doubting you at all – just jealous.

  4. Hi Tony.

    Friend of my dad’s gave me box of old Arsenal progs and books when I was about 8 and have been collecting/devouring ever since.

  5. Just a little bit more on Joe Shaw’s benefit match. The gate receipts for the game were £130. The directors also added a further £120 (from the club’s coffers) to make it up to £250.

    Information courtesy of ARSENAL: HISTORY AND FULL RECORD 1886–1988. Scott GRANT & Colin WHITE.

    Also, being really pedantic now, Joe was caretaker manager for the remainder of the 1933-34 season with John Peters acting as caretaker secretary.

  6. Its probably of little interest to anyone but Joe E Shaw is my wifes great uncle. Joe was respected as a gentleman in the family and never married. As a result of the family connection Arsenal are my second team.
    regards,
    Terry Rothwell

  7. Remi Garde Ian Selley Luis Boa Morte almunia stever morrow viv anderson oleg luzhny pascal cygan christoper wreh paul dickov kevin campbell stefan schwarz nelson vivas davor suker mart poom quincy awuso obeiu spelt wrong lol and this dude even though ive never seen him play his name is just stupid , emanuel frimpong .

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