Denis Law was born in Aberdeen in 1940 and made his pro-debut in 1956 for Huddersfield Town aged just 16. Denis possessed razor-sharp reflexes plus an awesome aerial ability for one of such slight stature
Denis Law was born in Aberdeen in 1940 and made his pro-debut in 1956 for Huddersfield Town aged just 16. Denis possessed razor-sharp reflexes plus an awesome aerial ability for one of such slight stature. But his most precious gifts were awareness and anticipation, seeming to see the action several frames ahead of everyone else. He was the ultimate predator - greedy in scoring situations as all the best strikers are.
In 1960, Manchester City paid £53,000 for him - only to sell him on, a year later, to Italian giants Torino for £100,000! It was an unhappy move, however, and Manchester United swooped, paying a British record transfer fee of £115,000 to bring Denis to Old Trafford. Over the next few years, goals simply flowed - 160 in just 222 games in his first five seasons. During his 11 years with Manchester United, Denis made 309 league appearances and scored 168 league goals. He also scored a then post-Second World War record of 41 goals in the F.A. Cup, including one in the 1963 Final against Leicester City. He won two Championship medals in 1965 and 1967 but a knee injury deprived him of a place in the 1968 European Champions Cup side. He rejoined Manchester City on a free transfer in July 1973 and helped take the Blues to Wembley for the 1974 League Cup final.
Denis played for the Rest of the World side versus England in 1963 (and scored!), was European Player of the Year in 1964, won 45 Scotland caps scoring 30 goals and, in 1975, was awarded the PFA Special Merit Award.
