It's one of English football's most mythical stories: Denis Law, one of Manchester United's greatest ever players, relegated his former club while playing for city rivals Manchester City.
Not only that, he did it with his last kick ever in professional football, and with a back heel to boot.
The insolence. The irony. What a story.
Six years after helping United become the first ever English side to become European champions as part of Matt Busby's divine Holy Trinity alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best, the Lawman struck the final blow that sank the once-proud Red Devils , who had lamented in the post-Busby era.
Law was inconsolable, the big Scot not celebrating in what must be one of the first examples of a player refusing to do so.
He said he felt terrible afterwards, had no real intention of scoring and had hoped the match would be disallowed for offside.
That wasn't the case, and with his last touch as a professional player he had seen his beloved United relegated.
Only, of course, the myth is just that: a myth.
So here's the story of how Denis Law's backheel kept United from being relegated, how football myths developed, and how we should really celebrate the fact that one of the best footballers to ever play the game scored a backheel with his last touch.
United after Busby really wasn't good.
The legendary figure retired in 1969, but in his absence United's fortunes were such that he had to return in 1970 to ensure they were not relegated.
He led them to eighth place before leaving again, but the club was in decline and by the end of the 1972–73 season they had finished 18th.
The whys and hows of Manchester United's rapid decline are a complicated mess, but what is clear is that new manager Tommy Docherty, who took over midway through last season, had to rebuild an aging and declining squad.
Bobby Charlton retired ahead of the 1973–74 season, and Docherty informed Law that if he wanted a free transfer he could get one after his years of service at the club.
It was not surprising at the time that Law moved from United to City.
Firstly, he had already played for City before moving to United, where he played for the Sky Blues prior to his season at Torino before joining United.
Secondly, the rivalry was not nearly as fierce. Players came and went between the clubs quite regularly, fans often went to both clubs when their favorite club was playing away that week, and Busby himself had guided City to FA Cup glory in his playing days.
So another campaign at the top, at a then more competitive City, where he would be guaranteed more games, sounded good to Law.
But while he and City ended up having an average season, chaos ensued at Old Trafford.
Docherty had his job to do, and in the end it was simply impossible to bring together a group of players and rebuild the squad at the same time.
Last year he had barely kept the Red Devils ahead and this time they had won just six games by mid-March.
United looked certain of relegation, but a sudden turnaround in form, brought about by a 3-1 away win at Chelsea on March 30, renewed hopes of an impossible escape.
Including the match against Chelsea, they remained unbeaten six times and defeated fellow relegation candidates Norwich and even high-flying Everton.
But another 1-0 defeat to the Toffees at Goodison Park meant that by the time United played City at Old Trafford for their penultimate game of the season, it was a do-or-die situation: win or be relegated.
It was set up perfectly and United attracted the biggest crowd of the season to Old Trafford.
A win would give them hope of surviving against all odds, taking the side to 34 points (a win was worth two at the time), but knowing they would also have to beat fifth-placed Stoke in their final match .
“I didn't want to go there and win the match more than anything,” Law said of the match.
“I didn't feel like going there and being defeated either, so the match went well for me. 0-0, five minutes to go, whatever.”
But then… it happened.
The ball came over and Law almost instinctively produced the most daring finish.
Let's forget for a moment the meaning of the purpose, the context and all that nonsense. Let's just appreciate what a majestic finish this was.
Pele once said that Law was the only British player good enough to play for Brazil; the guts to pull this off showed that Law had all the skills of even the great man himself.
The ball went after him as the Ballon d'Or winner turned a sixpence.
Using his left leg as a pivot, he instinctively swung his right foot forward and back, faster than any goalkeeper or defender could react, sending the ball rolling across the bumpy pitch into the net.
“I had no idea where the goal was,” Law explained.
“I reversed it, it was a complete fluke. I turned around and Stepney went that way and the ball went into the back of the net.”
Elation? No, just pain.
“It was terrible,” said the Scot.
The Lawman didn't celebrate, his head dropping as he immediately realized what he had done, or at least what he thought he had done.
He had relegated United, and what was worse was that it was his last ever kick in professional football.
Law continued: “The referee gave the goal, but he could have given it all, couldn't he. He could have called offside, he could have given a foul… but he got a goal.
“I was very sad… that turned out to be my last ever kick in competitive football.”
But Law had not relegated United.
The results that day had not gone in United's favour. Birmingham City beat Norwich and West Ham got a point against Liverpool, meaning United's fate was sealed regardless of the result against City.
“Dennis did it,” shouted the match commentator, and thousands of newspapers shared the news of how Denis Law scored against United on the day they went down.
• • • •
READ: George Best's double hat-trick and the goalkeeper whose day he ruined
• • • •
Over time, the small detail that it wasn't Law's goal that got them relegated no longer mattered. It was a good stick to beat United with, and after all, when does the truth get in the way of a good story?
It would be repeated over the years until it became common knowledge and finally there was no pressing need to question it.
United went straight back into the lead the following season under Docherty, winning the FA Cup in 1977, while Law's legacy at Old Trafford continues to this day.
And it is a legacy: 237 goals in 404 games, a Ballon d'Or, twice an English champion, an FA Cup winner and that famous night at Wembley when he became European champion.
He remains the only man to have two statues at Old Trafford and is the eternal king of the Stretford End.
But the taboo on that goal has never been completely broken.
But feel free to watch it again now. In fact, watch it again and again and again. Safe in the knowledge that this was only the Lawman's final goal.
And it showed him at his very best.
By Patrick Ryan
Comments