Deep Dive
Shownotes Transcript
Welcome to Back Pages, bringing you everything you need to know about the biggest sports stories making the headlines in the morning's newspapers. I'm Teddy Draper and joining me are Mark Ogden, senior writer at ESPN and Jack Rosser, football reporter with The Sun. Welcome to you both.
OK, let's start with the mail come to you, Mark. A poignant piece by Ian Ladyman, football editor there. He still came to Old Trafford whenever he could in his later years with the collars on his raincoat pulled up to his ears, almost as though he did not want anybody to know it was him. But we did know it was him, Mark. The word legend is used, but do we need a new word for someone of the stature of Dennis Law?
Well, I guess, Icon, isn't it? Icon's probably one level above a legend and he's certainly an icon at Manchester United and an icon of the British game. You know, the only Ballon d'Or winner from Scotland, one of three at the United team at the time, Best Lord Charlton. You know, every generation has their heroes and their legends and their icons, but some, the absolute greats, they go beyond that generation. So, you know, you're talking about Best Lord Charlton,
kenny dalglish bobby moore these are the players that no matter what generation you watch the game you know these names and you know the younger people that'll be going to old trafford on sunday for the game against leicester i'm sure there'll be some sort of you know huge tribute they'll know who dennis law was they'll know all about him they'll see his statue every time they go to the game and the fact that he his last game at old trafford was over 50 years ago and it was a very memorable one for probably the wrong reasons because he scored the goal which confirmed united's relegation while playing for man city
But Dennis Law is a name that every football fan has heard of that. You know, he's heard about Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law and George Best. And that's the level that Dennis Law is at. He is an iconic name, an iconic figure. The pictures are showing there that, again, that just sums him up. You know, you could blanket his face and you'd know exactly who it is. The celebration that, you know, the finger in the coffin. It was just...
Dennis Law is just one of those names that transcends any generation, any team. The tributes that have been published tonight from Liverpool, from Everton, from Glasgow Rangers, from Aberdeen, from Scotland, from clubs across the country because Dennis Law is such a great figure of British football and United are missing me. He's the last of their great generation from the 1960s and I'm sure you'll know about it on Sunday when they have a memorable tribute at the game against Leicester.
This is your paper, Jack. Farewell King, law-pitchered again, this time in the shooting action before the famous celebration. And even though, Jack, it's so long ago, there's not even a club badge, I don't think, on that shirt. There's no sponsors, there's probably no name on the back, I'm sure. This man's emblazoned in all young football fans' memories as well. Truly, I suppose, one of the most iconic from these shores in, what, 100 years? Yes.
Absolutely. I mean, I'm young enough, I can't even remember him as a pundit, let alone a player, but still everyone of my generation will know exactly who he is, will recognise his image in the statue in those pictures. And he's someone as well that obviously when famous players, famous people around the world pass away, you get a lot of tributes from everyone, but huge praise even before he passed away, before his diagnosis, I think.
Alex Ferguson identified him as his idol growing up and when he was asked, a lot of the Manchester United figures were asked to name an icon of the club, he went with Dennis Law and Matt Busby named him as one of that generation's greatest players.
He's someone that, of course, you know, I never saw play, but when you read about almost has everything you want in a player of that stature, a bit of grit, but plenty of flair and efficiency and an incredible goals record as well when you read the amount of work he's done.