Denis Law: Aberdeen's most famous footballer's life in pictures

Denis Law is widely regarded as one of the best footballers Scotland has ever produced – if not the greatest.

Law, who attended Powis Academy in Aberdeen, started his football career at Huddersfield Town where he played under future Liverpool manager Bill Shankly.

He became the club’s youngest player when he made his debut in 1956 aged just 16 years and 10 months.

In 1960 Law joined Manchester City for a record fee of £55,000.

He spent only one season at City before a move to Italy to join Torino proved too good to turn down.

He returned to England to join Manchester United in 1962 and went on to score 237 goals in 404 games for the Red Devils.

Law was named winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1964 and remains the only Scottish footballer to have been crowned European footballer of the year.

The Aberdonian formed one third of United’s ‘Holy Trinity’ alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best.

Law won two First Division titles with United and the 1963 FA Cup but missed the 1968 European Cup final victory due to injury.

He ended his career with a season at Manchester City in 1973-74 before formally announcing his retirement in August 1974.

Law is Scotland’s joint top goalscorer alongside Kenny Dalglish with 30 goals in 55 appearances for his country.

Here are some images from our archives of Aberdeen’s most famous footballer through the years.

The Aberdeen squad which won the Scottish Primary Schools Cup in 1951. Denis Law was only a reserve. Back, from left – Duguid, Taylor, Sim, E. Fraser, Ogston, Douglas, C. Fraser. Front – Buchan, Smith, Burns, Dawson, Lornie, Brack, Law.

Denis Law, pictured on March 16, 1960. The picture was taken on Printfield Terrace, near the junction with Printfield Walk, by Evening Express photographic manager Charlie Flett.

Huddersfield Town team for the 1959-60 season. Back row, left to right,: B Gibson, G Low, Ray Wood, J Coddington, Bill McGarry, Ray Wilson. Front row: K McHale, Denis Law, J Connor, K Massie, D Hawksworth. Image: Shutterstock.

Aberdeen football legend Denis Law made a little bit of sporting history in his home town in April 1962. The Woodside lad became the first sporting star to be made an honorary member of the city’s Sportsman’s Club. This picture shows Denis receiving club ties in the club’s Queen’s Road premises. At the time Denis was playing for Torino.

Denis Law puts the bite on a hamburger after opening the Wimpy Bar on Bridge Street, Aberdeen, in July, 1963. The popular eating place of the 1960s and 1970s closed in November, 1980.

The changing room after the 1963 FA Cup Final when Manchester United beat Leicester City 3-1. Bobby Charlton, far right, has a quick cigarette as David Herd, Denis Law and Maurice Setters celebrate with the trophy at Wembley. Image: Shutterstock.

Denis Law on his stag night with Len Albiston on the keyboard. Image: Len Albiston.

Manchester United manager Matt Busby (r) holds a United shirt against his new signing, Denis Law (l), who cost £115,000 from Torino.

Scotland’s Denis Law wins the ball ahead of England’s Bobby Moore. Also pictured for England in the background (c) is Bobby Charlton.

Denis Law celebrates after scoring Scotland’s first goal that put his team on the road to a 3-2 win against England at Wembley Stadium in 1967. Image: PA.

Denis Law disputes a decision against England in the Home Internationals in 1972.

Denis Law and George Best on the pitch at Manchester United in 1972. Image: Shutterstock.

Denis Law celebrates scoring against Czechoslovakia in 1973.

Denis Law jubilantly kicks the ball back into the net – a joke not shared by the dejected Zaire players – after teammate Peter Lorimer had scored Scotland’s first goal in the Group Two World Cup match against Zaire at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund. Image: PA.

Denis Law, Scotland v Peru, 1972 — Denis Law ahead of a match between Scotland and Peru in 1972.

Denis Law and Jimmy Johnstone play table tennis on their day off Scotland World Cup 1974 Scotland in 1974 World Cup. Image: Shutterstock.

Manchester United’s Denis Law became one of the greatest Scottish players in history.

Denis Law was one of Manchester United’s biggest stars of the 1960s.

From left, Rodney Marsh, Colin Bell and Denis Law of Manchester City. Image: Shutterstock.

Denis Law (right) captaining Manchester City against Aberdeen at Pittodrie in 1973. Image: Aberdeen Journals.

Denis Law was back at school, and presented the new trophy bearing his name to the footballing heroes of Aberdeen’s Cornhill Primary. The Cornhill youngsters won the cup by beating Inchgarth Primary 2-1 in the final at Pittodrie. Team captain Colin Strachan holds the cup aloft. Image: Aberdeen Journals.

Aberdeen football ‘king’ Denis Law crowned Aberdeen Students’ Charities Campaign Queen Louise Clarke, 19, at His Majesty’s Theatre in 1975. Charities princess Judith Stevenson, of Evanton, and Joan Russell, of Keith, were also on stage at the first night of student show Fit Like!

Donside Thistle players surround Denis Law as he presents them with the Denis Law Trophy after their success against Don United in the Champion Street final in 1976.

Manchester City and Scotland player Denis Law with his family in Cheshire after announcing his retirement. With his wife Diana are children (l-r) Rob, 6, Andrew, 8, Gary, 10 and Ian, 4.

Denis Law signs autographs for the Scotland fans in a pub at the World Cup finals in 1978. Image: Shutterstock.

Resident director Tom Mitchell pours a glass of champagne for Denis Law at the official opening of the new Royal Athenaeum on Union Street, Aberdeen, in 1979. The Athenaeum was severely damaged by fire in 1973 and at this time only the ground floor of the building had been restored. Among other well-kent faces in our picture are Dons former stars Willie Mills and Don Emery, Dons manager Alex Ferguson and player Dom Sullivan. At a champagne reception for more than 400 guests, former Scottish international Denis Law unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

Denis Law signs autographs for fans while visiting Pittodrie for an Aberdeen game in 1980. Image: Aberdeen Journals.

Former footballer Denis Law with his wife Diana at home in Altrincham. Image: Shutterstock.

Football legend Denis Law at the fountain which was switched on at the opening of the new £7 million Norco foodstore in 1991. Also in the picture are Grampian Region convener Robert Middleton, centre, and Norco chairman Sydney Fyfe.

The Manchester United ‘Holy Trinity’ of Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best.

Denis Law at a charity walk to raise money for Meningitis UK. Pictured with, left, Bob Wilson and Steve Dayman.

Scottish footballing legend Denis Law helps to launch ‘100 years of Hampden’ in 2003. Image: SNS.

Denis Law promoting his new book ‘The King’ at Ottakars in Union Street. He signs two books for Karen Clyde for her father and father in law. Image: Colin Rennie/DC Thomson.

Denis Law at the Scottish Football’s Hall of Fame at Hampden in 2005. Image: SNS.

Willie Miller and Denis Law at the Aberdeen Football Club gala dinner at AECC in 2008.

Jimmy Calderwood and Denis Law at the Aberdeen Football Club gala dinner at AECC.

The Denis Law Soccer Tournament was launched at the Marcliffe Hotel in 2011. Law is pictured with from left, Tiaan Truter, Andrew Jamieson, Regan Rintoul, Ramsay Wilson, Kai Crawford, Dylan Driver and Patrick Lynas. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson.

Denis Law with eight-year old Owen Chapman.

The unveiling of the Denis Law statue at Aberdeen Sports Village in 2012. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson.

Denis Law at the unveiling of a statue in his likeness at Aberdeen Sports Village in 2012.

Denis Law presents a canvas print of the iconic EE picture of him having a kick-about with youngsters at Printfield to Alex Irvine, right, and Jim Gray, left. The Evening Express launched an appeal on behalf of the Denis Law Trust for all of the men in the picture to come forward so we can stage it again.

An Aberdeen bride was whisked off her feet at the weekend, but not by her husband Paul she had just married. Jodie Doverty (nee McEwan) was celebrating at her reception in the city’s Marcliffe Hotel and Spa when she found herself posing in a picture with some of football’s most famous stars of the past. Former Dons’ and Scotland manager Craig Brown, Man City’s Mike Summerbee, Dons’ Vice Chairman George Yule and Denis Law himself invited the stunning bride to join them in a group photograph with VIP’s attending the Denis Law Legacy Trust Annual Fundraising Dinner. The dinner raised over £30,000 to help fund ‘The Denis Law International Soccer Tournament’ to be held in Aberdeen in July.

John Fitzpatrick, right, with his idol and former team-mate Denis Law in 2013. — Denis Law with his former Manchester United teammate and fellow Aberdonian John Fitzpatrick at the Marcliffe in 2013.

Balon d'Or winner Denis Law skins youngsters on the Cruyff Court named in his honour at its opening in 2017. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson — Denis Law dribbles past youngsters on the Cruyff Court named in his honour at its opening in 2017. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Denis Law: Aberdeen’s most famous footballer’s life in pictures

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