By STUART MACDONALD FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL
Published: 14:52 EST, 21 November 2025 | Updated: 14:52 EST, 21 November 2025
Football greats including Sir Alex Ferguson have attended a memorial service for Scotland and Manchester United legend Denis Law.
A special event was held for Law, who died in January aged 84, at St Machar’s Cathedral in his home city of Aberdeen.
Ferguson was in attendance along with former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Other figures in the 200-strong congregation from the football world included former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson, defender Jonny Evans and Aberdeen great Willie Miller.
They were joined by Law’s sons and daughter and representatives of the Denis Law Legacy Trust at the special event on Thursday organised by Aberdeen University.
Law is the only Scottish player to have won the Ballon d’Or award, doing so in 1964, and helped Manchester United become the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968.
He earned 55 caps for Scotland and remains the country’s joint top scorer with 30 goals.
His daughter Diana said: ‘Dad was immensely proud of his home city and he’d have been truly touched that so many people travelled here today to honour him in this way.’
Sir Alex Ferguson was among those who attended a memorial service to football legend Denis Law
Manchester United legend Denis Law died earlier this year aged 84
Denis Law enjoys a kickabout with local youngsters in his home city of Aberdeen
In a speech at the service, Professor John Underhill, a former referee and director of energy transition at Aberdeen University, described Law as ‘a symbol of aspiration’ and spoke not only of his footballing legacy but his role as an ambassador for young people and the city of Aberdeen.
He said: ‘Perhaps his most enduring legacy lies in what he gave back, especially to the young people of Aberdeen.
‘Denis believed deeply in the power of sport to change lives. Through the Denis Law Legacy Trust, he championed programmes that offered young people safe, inclusive spaces to play, to grow, and to be inspired.
‘That a boy from Printfield in Aberdeen could rise to such heights is nothing short of extraordinary. Denis didn’t just play with the greats; he was one of the greats.
‘His legacy is not confined to trophies or titles. It lives on in the lives he touched, in the young people who found hope through his story, in the communities uplifted by his generosity, and in the enduring work of the Trust that bears his name.’
Mark Williams, Chief Operating Officer of the Denis Law Legacy Trust also spoke at the memorial.
Afterwards, he said: ‘It was an incredible honour to speak at this memorial for Denis, a friend whose life and legacy transcend football.
‘Denis was more than a sporting icon, he embodied ambition, resilience, and community spirit.
‘His journey from the streets of Aberdeen to the pinnacle of world football reminds us that greatness can come from any beginning.
‘This memorial is not just a tribute to his achievements, but hopefully a beacon of inspiration for generations to come.’
Law moved south from Aberdeen at the age of 15 to fulfil his footballing dreams. He went on to score 237 goals in 404 appearances for Manchester United.
He received an honorary degree from Aberdeen University in 2005 and a special award in 2020 for the work of his legacy trust, which was formed in 2012 to provide free, accessible opportunities for young people in Aberdeen.
In 2021 he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
Sir Alex Ferguson