by Alex Gordon
A few have tried to copy Denis’s style. I used to always play with long sleeves, even in the hottest of conditions, and with my jersey outside my shorts, but that was as far as I would go in attempting to copy Denis. That would have been a total waste of time. He was the original. I’ve met him a few times since that first introduction in the Aberdeen shop and I have always found him to be a thorough gentleman. A very likeable sort, in fact. Sadly, though, I have lost that treasured photograph from all those years ago. I’ve moved house about 20 times since then, lived in a few countries and somewhere along the line it has gone missing. It’s probably gathering dust in a loft somewhere. If anyone finds it, can they please give me a call!
DEREK JOHNSTONE
Fourteen caps 1973-79
Ball in the net. Arm in the air. Job done. Back to the centre circle. Let’s get on with the game. That sums up Denis Law for me. There were no daft antics, like kissing the badge or anything like that. He was out there to score goals and that’s what he did with great regularity as his record shows.
For me, he was the best Scottish footballer of all time, bar none. People of my age group will go along with that. There have been several candidates for the accolade, Kenny Dalglish, for one, but Denis is the main man, as far as I am concerned. It’s a pity that younger football followers never had the chance to see Denis live in action. He was electric. You can watch all the videos and DVDs you want, but there was nothing like witnessing this guy go about his business in the flesh. I was brought up in Dundee, so it wasn’t too easy for me to travel down to see Denis in action at Hampden Park. I think I saw him only twice, but he made the journeys worthwhile. He wasn’t just a fabulous footballer, he was also a huge icon. He performed on a different level from anyone else.
I don’t think I ever saw him flustered when he was in a crowded penalty box with bodies all over the place and boots flying around. He was also the first player I ever saw actually passing the ball into the net. Others would attempt to rip a hole in the net. How many times have you seen a striker through on the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation and blast the ball wildly against his opponent’s body or legs? But Denis, always calm and assured, was quite content to slip it gently past the keeper. Just so long as the ball crossed the line, it didn’t even have to hit the net.
Another thing that impressed me was his energy. He was like a whippet the way he covered the ground. Anything around 30 yards from goal was his territory. I’m not surprised he wanted to play all over the pitch, but was told by Matt Busby, his Manchester United manager, not to come back over the halfway line. He always wanted to be involved. Imagine trying to mark such a player? It must have been impossible for defenders. He also had an inner strength. There wasn’t much of him, but no-one knocked him around. There was a real grit about his character.
It’s a pity I never got to play alongside Denis. My first cap was against Wales in 1973 and, of course, Denis retired a year later. It would have been brilliant to have played in the same team as him. I have met him plenty of times while we’ve both been covering World Cups and the like during our media work. He’s the type of guy who will sit down and talk football with you for hours on end. It’s astonishing to think he never actually played for a Scottish club side, performing all his football across the border apart from that year in Italy. Making it even more difficult to comprehend is the fact he is so passionate about his country; everything about Scotland, not just the football. In short, Denis Law is a great ambassador for Scotland.
FRANK McAVENNIE
Five caps 1985-88
Denis was one of my idols and, okay, I admit I did copy him. So did wee Mo Johnston. Who didn’t? The trademark salute with the sleeves pulled right down as far as they would go after scoring another memorable goal. Sheer genius. The man was different class and everyone adored him.
My dad used to take me to Hampden and Parkhead when I was a kid and Denis was my man with Scotland while Kenny Dalglish was my hero at Celtic. What a combination they would have been at their peak. Unstoppable, I would have thought. Imagine being a defender and looking up to see these two guys preparing to kick off. Head-butting a moving train probably would have been more pleasurable.
I was with St Mirren when I won the Young Scottish Player of the Year award in season 1980/81. Old cliché, I know, but you could have knocked me over with a feather when I was told who would present me with the trophy – none other than Denis Law. What a fabulous memory.
I scored a goal against Australia in a World Cup play-off match at Hampden in November 1985. It was the first leg of a double-header against the Aussies that would determine which nation got to the finals in Mexico the following summer. It was crucial that we won in Glasgow and we duly did with myself and the late, great Davie Cooper, with a blistering free-kick, scoring the vital goals.
I had bright blond hair at the time, the shirt outside the shorts doing my Denis Law impersonation. It must have done the trick. One of the national newspapers caught the image of me going through the celebrations after my goal and a pal looked at the photograph and said, ‘My God, I thought Denis Law had made a comeback.’ I took that as a huge compliment.
Denis is a top bloke and I also recall a time when we were both on the Terry Wogan Show during one of my stints with West Ham. It was the number one chat show of its time and what a privilege it was to be invited on with such a legend. There’s was a problem, though – Denis had been in a bit of a rush to get from Manchester to London and had brought the wrong pair of shoes. The ones he had collected in his haste had a hole in them. Typical Aberdonian – never threw anything away! He grabbed me before we went on live and said, ‘Frank, if you see me crossing my legs give me a nudge. I don’t want the nation to think I can’t afford a good pair of shoes.’
As we prepared to go out to face the cameras, he pulled me aside and whispered, ‘Don’t be nervous, Wee Man. There are probably only about 23 million people watching the programme tonight.’ I almost fainted at the thought. But that was typical Denis. He enjoyed a joke and he was always marvellous company.
We had a couple of things in common. A lot of what Denis did was completely off the cuff, something that cannot be coached into anyone. I would like to think I could think on my feet, too. Denis always maintained he would never become a football manager and I have to agree with that sort of thinking. Me, a manager? No thanks. I’m quite happy having hair. It would be ripped out by the handful if I was ever in a dug-out. I’m with Denis all the way on this one, believe me.
Chapter Twenty-Six
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
IAIN KING, head of sport – Scottish Sun
I grew up with posters of Kenny Dalglish on my wall. The Lawman was this fabled figure my dad talked to me about. Then I watched the footage of that back-heel for Manchester City against Manchester United and an image stuck.
I thought then that Denis had the class and integrity of a true legend and that was confirmed when I was lucky enough to meet him in my work on the committee of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame. We had a chat at one of the dinners and smiled about the irony of King Kenny sticking on 30 Scotland goals alongside him.
Denis flashed that mischievous grin and said, ‘Aye, son, but it only took me 55 caps, he had 102. Always remember that.’
DON MORRISON, former chief sportswriter – Sunday Mail
My abiding memory of Denis has got to be the 1967 Wembley triumph over England. The entire day was just wonderful, of course, and it meant so much to beat the World Cup holders on their home soil. But Denis’s antics that afternoon were unforgettable. Not only did he produce yet another magnificent performance in the colours of his country, but it was obvious to everyone he wanted to rub the English noses in it. He was determined to pile on the agony.
He actually looked angry with his great mate Jim Baxter. He was agitated, arms flailing everywhere. You didn’t need to be an expert in lip-reading to get the notion he wanted to stick as many behind Gordon Banks as was humanly possible in
side an hour-and-a-half. Actually, that was one of Denis’s best games for his country and, believe me, I saw a few on my travels with the international team. It was always an honour for Denis to play for Scotland. I’ve met players who are happy enough to represent Scotland, but it genuinely meant everything to Denis. No-one will be surprised to learn that Denis travelled up to Aberdeen as often as was possible during his playing days. I recall he was sent off twice during his Manchester United career and served two successive suspensions over Christmas periods. He spent that time with his family in his home town. Coincidence or what?
There is also the story that he turned down Arsenal, then the biggest club in England, to sign for Manchester City in 1960 because Manchester was closer to Scotland than London and made the journeys shorter. I could believe that would have been a contributing factor in Denis’s decision when he left Huddersfield Town. If you knew the guy, you wouldn’t be one bit surprised.
I loved watching Denis in action; he always brought something extra to the proceedings. He was dynamic and must have been hell to play against. Yet, like everyone else, I was always impressed by him when he was away from football. He was always good company and I’m just glad I can say I saw him at his peak. That was that afternoon at Wembley in 1967. Thank God he managed to score at least one goal that day!
DIXON BLACKSTOCK, former sportswriter – Sunday Mail
The Sunday Mail put together a glossy magazine to celebrate Scotland’s feat in reaching the World Cup Finals in Italy in 1990. I knew Denis would be involved in the tournament with ITV and I thought it would be a good idea to have a chat with him about the dangermen to look out for in the competition. I have to say I was very impressed. Denis had the information at his fingertips. I can tell you there are a lot of ex-professional footballers out there who can take the Queen’s shilling while working for the media and give back precious little. That wasn’t the case with Denis.
Players to watch? The Lawman rattled them out one after another. Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten (both Holland), Carlos Valderrama (Colombia), Careca (Brazil), Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Baggio (both Italy), Diego Maradona (Argentina), John Barnes (England) and Scotland’s own Mo Johnston and Paul McStay. Those were the guys who got the nod of approval from Denis.
Looking back to 1990, he didn’t do too badly, did he? Maradona captained the Argentines to the final where they lost 1-0 to an Andreas Brehme penalty-kick. It wasn’t Maradona’s fault the game failed to live up to its billing with the Germans well and truly shackling the little genius. And his efforts to lift the trophy again, as he had done four years previously in Mexico, weren’t helped when teammates Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti were ordered off in the second-half. Baggio got the opening goal in the host nation’s 2-1 win over England to take third place in the tournament.
Brazilian Careca got off to a storming start with two goals in his country’s 2-1 win over Sweden. He was also in the team that knocked out Scotland from Group C, a goal from Muller sending Andy Roxburgh’s side tumbling in Turin. Denis tipped Johnston to get the goals for Scotland, but, alas, the striker could only manage one, a penalty-kick winner against Sweden in Genoa. However, overall, not a bad effort at all by Denis.
He was proving to be just as effective off the field as he was on it.
FRASER ELDER, BBC and former sportswriter – Sunday Mail
It was always a pleasure and a privilege to be in the company of Denis Law. Not only could he play football, but he was also very knowledgeable about the sport. That’s not always the case, you know. I’ve known a lot of professionals who don’t even want to talk about sport when they are away from the ground. There was one former international player who refused to talk about the game, but you couldn’t get him to shut up when it came to golf!
I was fortunate enough to be in Perth when Denis made his second debut for Manchester City in 1973. I was covering his debut in a friendly match against St Johnstone at their old Muirton Park ground. The Saints were so excited at the prospect of the Lawman playing in Perth that they asked me to put together a special programme before the match. I was happy to do so and I had to pinch myself when I found myself writing about Denis Law, Francis Lee, Rodney Marsh and Mike Summerbee.
Five years later, Denis was working for the BBC World Service during the World Cup Finals in Argentina when we met up again. He still looked fit enough to pull on the boots and get out there and play. Has this guy never put on weight? As you would expect, he was a first-class and very thorough operator. It is still simply marvellous to think I once teamed up with the Great Man.
Thanks for the memories, Denis – on and off the field.
Epilogue
FOREVER THE KING
Denis Law was the showman supreme. Fearless, swashbuckling, elusive, unique. He was more than a mere goalscorer whose cavalier thrusts and menacing darts brought panic and pandemonium to opposing defences. Law was an inspiration to those around him at club and country level; and to street urchins everywhere.
His was a defiance born of a tough upbringing in an Aberdeen tenement, displaying an admirable stoicism while faced with poverty, adversity and even cruelty. Blighted by the deformity of a squint in his eye, he was undaunted as he went about his life with a stubborn, laudable single-mindedness. He snarled at fate. And overcame the obstacles that were strewn across his path.
There is a lot of courage in the Denis Law story. Teammates adored him, opponents feared him, fans revered him. He was a free spirit, an extrovert, a complete one-off, a rare combination of impudence and intelligence, skill and steel. No footballing system is capable of producing a player such as Denis Law. Life chiselled out this character.
Undeniably, he deserved every rapturous applause that greeted yet another spectacular goal, another piece of sorcery. He possessed a certain grace of movement which was to be admired and cherished, artistry to beguile and behold. Every ounce of hero worship was earned, the acclaim thoroughly deserved. The adulation, quite rightly, was his.
Denis Law is, was and always will be The King.
APPENDIX
THAT’S A FACT!
* Denis Law is the only Scotland international to score four goals on two occasions. He claimed a foursome in a 5-1 win over Northern Ireland on 7 November 1962 and followed that up with another four-goal performance against Norway exactly a year later. Both games were at Hampden.
* He was never booked or sent off in his 55 Scottish appearances.
* It took Scotland Under-23s – since replaced by the Under-21s – three attempts to beat their English counterparts. Denis scored the only goal of the game at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough, in 1961.
* A total of 189 goals were scored during Law’s international appearances; 105 for Scotland and 84 against.
* Law only played in two goalless draws; against Spain in a friendly on 8 May 1965 at Hampden (his 30th game) and against Czechoslovakia in the Brazilian Independence Cup on 2 July 1972 in Porto Alegre (his 48th game).
* Only five Scottish keepers had shut-outs in Law’s time: Bill Brown, on four occasions, Bobby Clark (3), David Harvey (1), Ally Hunter (1) and Campbell Forsyth (1).
* Law once played AGAINST a Scottish Select. He was in the Italian League team that drew 1-1 with their Scottish counterparts at Hampden on 1 November 1961 in front of 67,000 fans. Rangers’ Ralph Brand netted for the Scots with Englishman Gerry Hitchens (Inter Milan) scoring for the visitors. Welsh international John Charles was the third Briton to play for the Italians. Scottish League: Eddie Connachan (Dunfermline); Alec Hamilton (Dundee), Eric Caldow (Rangers); Pat Crerand (Celtic), Ian Ure (Dundee), Jim Baxter (Rangers); Alex Scott (Rangers), Pat Quinn (Motherwell), Bobby Black (Kilmarnock), Ralph Brand (Rangers) and Davie Wilson (Rangers). Italian League: Albertosi (Fiorentina); David (AC Milan), Pavinago (Bologna); Zaglio (Inter Milan), Charles (Juventus), Colombo (Atalanta); Hamrin (Fiorentina), Maschio (Atalanta), Hitchens (Inter Milan), Law (Torino) and Patris (Fiorentina).
* Law once played FOR England. He
was in the English League team that was beaten 4-2 by the Italian League in Milan in 1960. He made his debut alongside his Manchester City teammate Bert Trautmann, the German-born goalkeeper. Law’s appearance made him the first Scot to play for an English League Select for 68 years.
* Law and Jim Baxter played for the Rest of Europe team which faced a Scandinavian Select in Copenhagen on 20 May 1964 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Danish FA. Law scored in his side’s 4-2 win.
* The length of his shirt sleeves were tailored deliberately longer to allow him to clutch the cuffs in his trademark style.
* When Law came off at half-time in the 2-0 defeat against the USSR at Hampden on 10 May 1967, it left Scotland with seven Celtic players on the field. Ronnie Simpson, Tommy Gemmell, John Clark, Billy McNeill, Jimmy Johnstone and Bobby Lennox started the friendly match. Willie Wallace came on for Law. Former Rangers star Jim Baxter, then with Sunderland, captained the side. The other players were Eddie McCreadie (Chelsea), Frank McLintock (Arsenal) and Jim McCalliog (Sheffield Wednesday). The goals came from Gemmell (16 og) and Fedor Medved (41).