King of the Stretford End – former Man Utd captains lead tributes to Denis Law

Former Manchester United captains Bryan Robson, Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney led tributes to “fantastic man” and “great footballer” Denis Law following his death.

Law, who won two league titles with Manchester United and was a member of their European Cup-winning side under Sir Matt Busby in 1968 when they became the first English club to lift the trophy, has died aged 84.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in 2021.

Law won the Ballon d’Or in 1964 – the only Scottish player to do so.

United great Robson, who worked with Law in an ambassadorial role for the club, called the Scot a “fantastic man”.

“We have lost one of football’s giants both as a player and a gentleman. It’s incredibly sad,” he said in a column in the Daily Mail.

“Denis was more than just a fantastic footballer, he was a fantastic man. So generous with his time and everything delivered with that great sense of humour of his.

“He would always be in my greatest ever Manchester United XI. He was a player so many of his peers idolised and with good reason, that iconic image of him with his sleeves pulled down and the one-arm salute after scoring.

“No one could represent what Manchester United stood for better than him. Full of flair on the pitch and a gentleman off it.”

Law stands third on the all-time list of United goalscorers behind Wayne Rooney and Bobby Charlton and Rooney described him as a “legend”.

The former England captain posted on X: “Legend. Thoughts with all Denis’ family and friends.”

United stalwart Gary Neville added on Instagram: “Rest in Peace Denis. A great footballer and a great man. It’s a privilege and an honour to have spent time in your company. The King of the Stretford End.”

Capped 55 times by Scotland – he made his senior debut aged 18 in 1958 – Law remains his country’s joint all-time leading scorer with 30 goals alongside Kenny Dalglish.

Joe Jordan, who played with Law at the 1974 World Cup, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Denis was a special player and to lose someone like him I think will affect an awful lot of Manchester United fans.

“A proper icon for his ability on the field to score goals but he had a special edge to him, not just as a player but as a person.

“He was a special player. Denis Law is one of the greatest players to ever play for Scotland.

“What he achieved at club level, people associate Manchester United with Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law. That speaks for itself, he was a special player.

“Denis had an edge to him on the field, he would never be intimidated. He played against the best and came out on top on many, many occasions.”

The Scottish Football Association paid tribute to a “true great”.

In a short post on the Scottish national team’s X, it said: “A true great. We will not see his likes again. Denis Law. 1940-2025.”

Law played 84 times for Manchester City across two spells as they said the “whole of Manchester” was mourning.

In a reply to United’s X post breaking the news, they said: “The whole of Manchester, including everyone at City, is mourning with you.

“Rest in peace, Denis. Our thoughts are with Denis’ family and friends at this difficult time.”

His club career began at Huddersfield and the West Yorkshire club called him an “immortal of the sport”.

They said in a statement posted on X: “All at Huddersfield Town are profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of Denis Law.

“A legend of not only our great club, but an immortal of the sport as a whole, he will be deeply missed and his memory cherished by us all.

“Our collective thoughts are with Denis’ family and loved ones at this time.

“Once a Terrier, always a Terrier.”