- Denis Law has passed away at the age of 84, his family announced on Friday
- Law formed a legendary triumvirate with George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton
- READ MORE: Law had glory, glamour and goals but with a streak of humility – he embodied what the club should stand for, writes IAN LADYMAN
On the balmy summer’s afternoon in 1966 when England won their only World Cup the greatest of all Scotland’s goalscorers was keeping his head down on a Manchester golf course.
Not only to secure solid contact with that little shoe ball.
As he came up the 18th fairway another member stretched over a fence and told him: ‘Lawman, England won.’
Said Denis the perpetual menace to England: ‘Thanks for ruining my day. It was bad enough losing to someone who played awful. Now it feels like the end of the world.’
To invoke his own cryptic sense of humour, it didn’t take him long to get over it .
It was no more than a quarter of a century later, by which time we were neighbours in football’s press boxes, that we were first down to the hotel bar after checking in before one of Manchester United’s away days in Europe
Denis Law has passed away at the age of 84, his family and Man United confirmed on Friday
Law, who also scored 30 times in 55 appearances for Scotland, is a Manchester United legend
Law (L) was part of ‘The Holy Trinity’ alongside Sir Bobby Charlton (C) and George Best (R)
‘What will it be Denis?’ I asked first. Some things never change.’
‘Brandy on the rocks, wee man.’
As we clinked glasses he added: ‘Here’s to your mate Mooro. He deserved to win that bloody thing.’
There was an abiding respect between them. Bobby Moore the arch defender and Denis Law the sharpest thorn in the side of every defence he played against.
Their personal rivalry within England and Scotland games always dignified by mutual sportsmanship.
Law sent heartfelt commiserations when Bobby died far too young. Now the English game pays tribute, both halves of Manchester included
It took a special man to handle the deeply opposed fans through two-way transfers between City and United.
Law pulled it off with his waspish charm and intoxicating personality.
Man United’s famous ‘Holy Trinity’ of Charlton, Law and Best are immortalised at Old Trafford
Law was also able to handle playing for both United and arch-rivals Man City in his career
Law won the Ballon d’Or in 1964 and is still to date the only Scot to ever have done so
For those of us who enjoyed ongoing contact with him down the years – albeit of diminishing frequency as the curse of Parkinson’s took stronger control – there is sense of losing a blood brother from Aberdeen, across the Scottish divide.
And now, at the gates of Old Trafford. there are none. Of the three maestros of United’s golden age immortalised in their combined statue.
Besty was the first to go. Then Sir Bobby. Now the Lawman.
Raise the finest glasses of cognac to them. We may never see the like of such a triumvirate again.
