Shaw gained first team experience in the UEFA Cup with Leeds United, notably in a 0–4 defeat at home to Lierse S. K. of Belgium, but never appeared in the Football League for the club.
Shaw also played in all nine Anglo Scottish cup ties culminating in a two legged final 3–2 aggregate win over St Mirren in December 1977.
[4] With Bristol City rising to 13th place in the First Division in 1978–79 John Shaw started the season in the team and missed only two games making 40 appearances.
Shaw played in the first 27 league games but was replaced by Ray Cashley after a run of ten matches conceding 22 goals without a win.
Shaw made 28 appearances in 1979–80 and also played in 8 of the 9 Anglo Scottish Cup ties which ended in an aggregate 1–5 defeat to St Mirren in the final.
[3] Bristol City suffered a third successive relegation in 1981–82 but very nearly failed to survive a mid season financial crisis in February 1982 when only a last minute acceptance of redundancy by the "Ashton Gate Eight" saved the club from potential extinction.
Shaw's unquenchable spirit in the face of adversity won widespread admiration, and he joked about his baldness with teammates telling them: "You try playing behind the City defence for 11 years and see what you'd look like!".