An inquest has heard the Aston Villa legend Gary Shaw died from a severe head injury as a result of a fall.
The 63-year-old had been out drinking with friends on 5 September and was found by a neighbour, collapsed on the pavement outside his home, at 01:20 GMT on 6 September, the court heard.
The former striker was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he died from his injury on 16 September.
Senior coroner Louise Hunt returned a verdict of accidental death at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner’s Court.
Shaw came through the youth ranks at his boyhood club and went on to score 79 goals in 213 games for Villa.
He was named the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year in 1981 and European Young Player of the Year in 1982.
The former England Under-21s striker also played for Blackpool, Walsall, Kilmarnock and Shrewsbury Town.
He worked as a statistical analyst since his retirement from football in 1992 and was a club ambassador at Villa Park.
Crowds assembled at the stadium in October to pay respects as his funeral cortege went past en route to Sutton Coldfield Crematorium, where the service was held.
