Legend is one of the most overused words in sport but one man who merits the accolade is Aberdeen’s most famous sporting son, Denis Law.
Law, who celebrates his 75th birthday today, is a man whose feats afforded him iconic status in Scottish football thanks to his 30 goals in 55 appearances for Scotland and a glittering career in English football.
Crowned European footballer of the year in 1964, Law’s goalscoring exploits are renowned from his spells with Huddersfield Town, Manchester City, Torino and, most famously, Manchester United.
If Joe Harper is King of the Beach End in Law’s home city of Aberdeen, then surely Law is King of Old Trafford after scoring 237 goals in 404 appearances for the Red Devils. United supporters certainly hold him dear to their hearts, with many paying homage at the statue of Law that sits outside Old Trafford’s Stretford End.
But it could all have been so different had a 15-year-old Denis not been spotted playing in the Granite City.
Even 60 years later, Law is still bemused at how he ended up at Huddersfield.
He said: “The manager at the time was Andy Beattie whose brother, Archie, lived up the road from me at Woodside.
“He was doing a bit of scouting for Huddersfield and when they approached me I couldn’t believe it. I was a young lad who wore glasses and was the least likely football player you had ever seen and, what’s more, I’d never even heard of the place before.
“But I loved football and it was the chance I had been waiting for. It took me 15 hours to get there from Aberdeen, but you know what? It was the most exciting 15 hours of my life.”
Once he got over his homesickness, Law thrived and, through football, he travelled the world and played alongside some of the best exponents the game has ever produced.
But it is the managers he served under who brought him the most satisfaction – and inspiration.
Few, if any, can claim to have played for the big three of Shankly, Busby and Stein.
Law can.
He said: “I’ve been lucky enough to have played under three of the greatest managers the game has produced.
“Bill Shankly was like a father to me at Huddersfield and then I had the great Sir Matt Busby at Old Trafford and also Jock Stein when I played with Scotland, so I’ve been very lucky.
“Bill and Matt were different characters but they were the same in that they both loved the game and wanted to give the people who paid to watch their teams value for money.
“Anyone who played for them, whether it was at Huddersfield, Liverpool or United, knew they had to ensure the supporters got their money’s worth.
“For Scotland to have produced these three guys, and also Sir Alex Ferguson, all from the Glasgow area, is incredible. They are four of the greatest managers ever and it’s amazing.”
But for the man who seemingly had everything from his career, there is one notable omission from the Law CV and only one regret – that he didn’t get the chance to play for his home team.
He said: “When I went to Pittodrie as a child I always dreamed of one day following in the footsteps of my heroes, but it never happened.
“It’s never dented my love for the Dons, though I had to sneak in to Pittodrie to see the games.
“We didn’t have a lot of money when I was a child, so I asked adults to lift me over the turnstile or hide me between their legs as they went through. I would have done anything to get into those games in the 1950s.
“The crowds were huge and Aberdeen had a magnificent team. The likes of Harry Yorston, Archie Glen and George Hamilton were all my heroes. They inspired an affection for the Dons that has stayed with me all my days.”
His dream of wearing the famous Aberdeen jersey did not come true but Law at least got the chance to play at Pittodrie, leading out Manchester City as captain for a friendly against the Dons in 1973.
It is an occasion he remembers well. He said: “It was towards the end of my career, so I wasn’t at my very best but that didn’t stop defender Willie Young kicking lumps out of me. He’s taller than me but I gave him a few hits back, so it was good fun.”
