Many know the story about the humble Aberdeen boy that grew to be one of the “greatest ever” footballers.
Denis Law, who was born in 1940, probably didn’t realise that his first kickabout on Printfield Terrace would be the start of a glittering career.
Playing with his brothers outside their home set the local legend on his journey to some of the biggest stadiums in the world, dazzling fans wherever he went.
And now these dear childhood memories will be recreated at his birthplace as a spotlight is shone on the area that made him.
Campaigners say it could breathe new life into the area and attract visitors from around the world, as well as create jobs.
Take a walk through Denis Law’s life and football career
The legacy of the Manchester United star could soon be immortalised with a interactive walking trail where his journey with the sport began.
Council chiefs unanimously agreed to put £20,000 towards the first phase today, which aims to give fans a newfound appreciation for his rise to fame while attracting visitors to the city.
Other grants will cover the remaining £30,000 needed for this initial stage.
Overall, 10 of the most memorable moments of his glittering career will be recreated in Printfield – from his first pair of football boots to his world-beating prime.
First steps to becoming a legend
The legacy trail will begin at Clifton Court on Printfield Terrace and weave its way around Law’s home and local pitch.
The 400m track with art installations, murals and informative plaques will celebrate his Granite City roots and take fans on a journey through his upbringing.
It will also highlight some of the most prominent moments of his career – like signing for Manchester United and winning the Fifa Ballon d’Or.
So what are the spots that will form the trail?
Clifton Court could undergo a colourful revamp as the most notable part of the initiative, though this will be the most expensive aspect too.
Any progress on this will come as the scheme progresses, with concerns it could cost more than £150,000.
Nearby, a church wall will be adorned with a mural depicting 10 of the local loon’s defining moments…
Here’s how it looks just now:
How will the trail work?
At every stop along the tour there will be a 3ft bollard with a little bit of information about Law and how the location is linked to his past.
The installations will be bolted to the ground to be as robust as possible.
People will also be able to scan a QR code to find out interesting fact about his career.
There’s nothing remarkable about the front door of 6 Printfield Terrace as things stand, but the scheme seeks to change that, with a display at Denis Law’s childhood home.
Another key moment will be marked just yards away.
Visitors will be guided to the exact spot where a famous photo of Denis Law was taken in 1962, practising his keepie-uppies after signing for Manchester United for a British record fee of £115,000.
He turned out to be worth every penny!
There will be another post marking the spot where the star received his first ever football boots at the age of 12.
They were a present from his friend and neighbour George Geddes.
This overgrown area could soon be transformed too.
A wall just off Printfield Terrace will be the site of another installation celebrating Denis Law becoming the youngest player to be capped for Scotland in 1958.
The Trust driving the plans forward say they want to show that “just because you come from a certain area, doesn’t mean you can’t do anything you want”.
And just along the way there would be another post, this time telling fans about Denis Law’s move to Italy to play for Torino.
This playpark, between Clifton Road and Printfield Terrace, will showcase some more important moments.
Were any concerns raised at council meeting?
However, Labour councillors flagged some issues as the scheme was progressed by the authority’s finance committee.
They questioned whether the council could be scoring an own goal by proceeding with the project without double-checking that copyright consent has been given for the images required.
And some doubts were raised about the £8,000 yearly upkeep costs.
Top brass reassured the committee that the scheme would not go ahead “until that is sorted out”.
What’s next?
Common Good Funding will be provided to the Denis Law Legacy Trust as the scheme takes shape.
A business case will now be prepared weighing up the costs of the murals to be added to Clifton Court, with the hope of “identifying external funding”.
Committee convener Alex McLellan said it will “hopefully draw a lot of folk to the area once it’s complete”.
Football hero Denis Law gets north-east delicacy delivered to Manchester home
