Life of The Lawman

DENIS LAW will go down in history as the man who scored six goals in an FA Cup tie — and still lost. In January 1961 Manchester City were 6-2 up at rain-lashed Luton when the referee abandoned the game. Luton won the rearranged match 3-1.

He only ever collected one FA Cup winner’s medal, when Manchester United beat Leicester City 3-1 in 1963. The Scotland star scored the first goal, beating England keeper Gordon Banks.

Law famously went to play golf on the day England won the World Cup, because he couldn’t bear to watch. But 12 months later he scored Scotland’s opener in a 3-2 win at Wembley as they became the first country to beat the world champions.

Manchester City fans say Law’s winner at Old Trafford was the one that relegated United in 1974, although other results that day did the damage. What is true is that Law, a year after leaving his beloved United, refused to celebrate his backheeled goal.

In 1964 Law was crowned European footballer of the year, still the only Scotsman to have won the Ballon d’Or.