Denis Law - question for older fans.

[waterloo blue]

City played at Walsall in the '80's,maybe the 3rd round of the cup,me and my mate Tony sneaked into their main stand,it was freezing and snowing and found the only two free seats and sat down.
Next thing I get a tap on the shoulder from Denis and come on son these seats are taken,he was working as a pundit.
He could have bubbled us but didn't,just said get over with the blues.
I also met his daughter over here in Australia when I was playing football,but made a twat of myself that time as she was impervious to my Salford charm.

 

[Shaelumstash]

We paid a British record transfer fee (of around £53 000, I think) for Dennis Law on transfer deadline day, from Bill Shankly's Huddersfield, when we bought him, so he was hardly unknown! Most of the (other!) "big clubs" were interested but we were the ones who took the plunge. He scored twice on his debut, against Leeds at Elland Road, but couldn't prevent a 4 - 3 defeat. The belief was that he wasn't too keen on the move to City, but he certainly performed brilliantly for City in the one complete season he spent with us. I don't think it's overstating things to say the he kept us in the first division; if I remember correctly he got over twenty goals for us that season, though I don't remember if the 6 he got in an abandoned cup tie at Luton count in that total or not. He was clearly too good to stay at a club like City who had never really replaced the team which had won the cup with players of equal quality. I remember his performance in the last match of the season, in which Burnley beat us 2-1 in front of a crowd of 72 000 at Maine Road to clinch the title (I ended up watching from the running track as the Burnley fans moved forward in the final minutes!); he was magnificent even compared to Jimmy McIlroy of Burnley. Then Torino came in for him, he wanted to go and we doubled our money, but at the end of the next season we were heading for Division 2. But Dennis Law left us with some wonderful memories of what a genuine, top class player really was like. But that was nothing to the memory he left us with at the end of his other season with us!

Law was a great player for City - he was head and shoulders above his then team mates. Does not deserve abuse from any "older" City fans. Always have fond memories of him. He was Scottish so you can understand his pleasure when Scotland went to Wembley in 1967 and beat "the World Champions" 2-1. Law and Baxter scored if memory serves me right. Also remember him in our forward line - Buzzer , Bell ,Lee , Law , and Marsh. - 1974 League Cup against Wolves. City struggled that day but when Bell got an equaliser in the second half - City fans thought right we are on our way to win but unfortunately lost 2-1.

Bit before my time but man for man that sounds like possibly the best forward line City have ever put out!

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

Used to watch Denis when he played for us the first time, a very good player in a shit City team.

Really his best years were for the rags between 1963-7......

 

[BertTrautmann'sParachute]

I saw him in his last season for us. He was the best header of a ball I've ever seen and a fantastic player. I still hold him in the highest esteem.

he also used to set off on high speed long curving runs in front of the opposing defence to finally arrive at his leaping point in the penalty area- really exciting it made the crowd gasp as he neared take off

I remember one header in particular. The ball was crossed from the left and Law, about 10-12 yards out, dived down to meet it. He proceeded to head the ball up into the roof of the net. Unbelievable, especially given the weight of the caseys in those days!

 

[silverback]

Another older "Blue" here. yes I remember Law's first season. The team was in transition. Dave Ewing, Ken Barnes & Billy Haydock were coming to the end. Alan Oakes & Waggy were young hopefulls. Colin Barlow, Joe Hayes & George Hannah were the mainstays of the team. In this company Law was outstanding. The way he hung in the air for corners & crosses, went up with everyone else, but stayed there & was still airborne when the rest had landed. His speed & alertness in the 6 yard box, the space he created around him and of course the magnificent goals. I make no apology for stating that at that time he was the most accomplished finisher I had ever seen in a City shirt. Far & away better than any of those around him. For a comparison think of Bell, Kinkladze, Robhino, Aguero or Tevez ON A GOOD DAY. But Law was like that every match day. When he returned to us in 1973, he was a pale shadow of his former self but still good enough to give some glimpses of his magic (not forgetting his goal at the swamp).

I remember putting into a collection at one match at Maine Road for his 21st Birthday. Can't remember if they got him a present. I rather think that as he would still be on the maximum wage which I think was about £20 at the time, that they gave him the money.
I still look upon him as a City Hero. Blotting out of course his tragic years in purgatory on the dark side. Don't recall him ever slagging City off.

Good post but you have got me with Billy Haydock, I am scratching around the old grey cells but cannot bring him to mind.

 

[George Hannah]

Another older "Blue" here. yes I remember Law's first season. The team was in transition. Dave Ewing, Ken Barnes & Billy Haydock were coming to the end. Alan Oakes & Waggy were young hopefulls. Colin Barlow, Joe Hayes & George Hannah were the mainstays of the team. In this company Law was outstanding. The way he hung in the air for corners & crosses, went up with everyone else, but stayed there & was still airborne when the rest had landed. His speed & alertness in the 6 yard box, the space he created around him and of course the magnificent goals. I make no apology for stating that at that time he was the most accomplished finisher I had ever seen in a City shirt. Far & away better than any of those around him. For a comparison think of Bell, Kinkladze, Robhino, Aguero or Tevez ON A GOOD DAY. But Law was like that every match day. When he returned to us in 1973, he was a pale shadow of his former self but still good enough to give some glimpses of his magic (not forgetting his goal at the swamp).

I remember putting into a collection at one match at Maine Road for his 21st Birthday. Can't remember if they got him a present. I rather think that as he would still be on the maximum wage which I think was about £20 at the time, that they gave him the money.
I still look upon him as a City Hero. Blotting out of course his tragic years in purgatory on the dark side. Don't recall him ever slagging City off.

Good post but you have got me with Billy Haydock, I am scratching around the old grey cells but cannot bring him to mind.

he played for County for years but I don't remember him at City either

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

Another older "Blue" here. yes I remember Law's first season. The team was in transition. Dave Ewing, Ken Barnes & Billy Haydock were coming to the end. Alan Oakes & Waggy were young hopefulls. Colin Barlow, Joe Hayes & George Hannah were the mainstays of the team. In this company Law was outstanding. The way he hung in the air for corners & crosses, went up with everyone else, but stayed there & was still airborne when the rest had landed. His speed & alertness in the 6 yard box, the space he created around him and of course the magnificent goals. I make no apology for stating that at that time he was the most accomplished finisher I had ever seen in a City shirt. Far & away better than any of those around him. For a comparison think of Bell, Kinkladze, Robhino, Aguero or Tevez ON A GOOD DAY. But Law was like that every match day. When he returned to us in 1973, he was a pale shadow of his former self but still good enough to give some glimpses of his magic (not forgetting his goal at the swamp).

I remember putting into a collection at one match at Maine Road for his 21st Birthday. Can't remember if they got him a present. I rather think that as he would still be on the maximum wage which I think was about £20 at the time, that they gave him the money.
I still look upon him as a City Hero. Blotting out of course his tragic years in purgatory on the dark side. Don't recall him ever slagging City off.

Good post but you have got me with Billy Haydock, I am scratching around the old grey cells but cannot bring him to mind.

he played for County for years but I don't remember him at City either

<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Haydock" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Haydock</a>

 

[paul1894]

ill never forget my first derby at maine road in 73/74 season,it was a midweek game,ended up 0-0,two sending offsloads of trouble,went with my mate and his dad,my mates dad was a mechanic and knew denis law,we ended up going to the game in denis laws jag ,was sat in the back and there was a pair of denis law's boots on the floor of the car.

 

[cibaman]

We paid a British record transfer fee (of around £53 000, I think) for Dennis Law on transfer deadline day, from Bill Shankly's Huddersfield, when we bought him, so he was hardly unknown! Most of the (other!) "big clubs" were interested but we were the ones who took the plunge. He scored twice on his debut, against Leeds at Elland Road, but couldn't prevent a 4 - 3 defeat. The belief was that he wasn't too keen on the move to City, but he certainly performed brilliantly for City in the one complete season he spent with us. I don't think it's overstating things to say the he kept us in the first division; if I remember correctly he got over twenty goals for us that season, though I don't remember if the 6 he got in an abandoned cup tie at Luton count in that total or not. He was clearly too good to stay at a club like City who had never really replaced the team which had won the cup with players of equal quality. I remember his performance in the last match of the season, in which Burnley beat us 2-1 in front of a crowd of 72 000 at Maine Road to clinch the title (I ended up watching from the running track as the Burnley fans moved forward in the final minutes!); he was magnificent even compared to Jimmy McIlroy of Burnley. Then Torino came in for him, he wanted to go and we doubled our money, but at the end of the next season we were heading for Division 2. But Dennis Law left us with some wonderful memories of what a genuine, top class player really was like. But that was nothing to the memory he left us with at the end of his other season with us!

Law was a great player for City - he was head and shoulders above his then team mates. Does not deserve abuse from any "older" City fans. Always have fond memories of him. He was Scottish so you can understand his pleasure when Scotland went to Wembley in 1967 and beat "the World Champions" 2-1. Law and Baxter scored if memory serves me right. Also remember him in our forward line - Buzzer , Bell ,Lee , Law , and Marsh. - 1974 League Cup against Wolves. City struggled that day but when Bell got an equaliser in the second half - City fans thought right we are on our way to win but unfortunately lost 2-1.

Bit before my time but man for man that sounds like possibly the best forward line City have ever put out!

Better on paper than on the pitch. Lee, Law & Marsh Just didn't gel

 

[yerwot?]

anyone remember Law and Alan Oakes brawling on the pitch at the swamp, Oakesy just wasn't the type?