“While you’re in Manchester, would you find this photo for me, please?“ One of our contributors asked me. It was in the autumn of 1976, when I was working as an editorial staff of a football magazine and planning a travel to England.

“In the derby match between Manchester United and Manchester City in April 1974, City's forward Denis LAW scored the winning goal with a right-footed back heel kick while his back facing to the goal, bringing the score to 1-0 in the 81st minute. I would like to use the photo of that goal in the next issue.”

I was 25 years old at the time. It was my first visit to Manchester as well as to the UK. Thanks to my youthful fearlessness and the more laid-back culture in the media and football world back then, I decided to casually visit the Manchester office of the tabloid newspaper the Daily Express, one day while I was covering football clubs in the city.

When I told the receptionist that I was looking for a photo from a Manchester United match for a Japanese football magazine, I was immediately directed to the photography department. There, I explained to a member of staff that I was looking for a specific scene from a Manchester derby that had taken place a few years ago. After hearing my request, the staff member left the room and returned with a scrapbook.

“The photos from that match are in this scrapbook, so just pick out the ones you need.”

The scrapbook contained negatives of black-and-white photographs. Apart from the name of the match, there was no explanation, but the goal scene from this match was pretty obvious. Indeed, it appeared that Law, wearing the number 10 jersey, had scored a goal with his back to the goal.

I pointed to the negative film and said, “This is it.” The staff member once again left the room with the negative and returned about 30 minutes later with the printed photo in his hand, saying, “Here you go.”

When I asked how much the usage fee was, he replied, “You're going to publish a story about Manchester football in a Japanese magazine, right? I'll give it to you as a gift.”

While saying that, he also told me this.

“Denis Law looked really sad after scoring this goal.”

His words caught my attention, so I looked into it.

Denis Law became a star player at Manchester City before moving to Italy to play for Torino. However, after just one season, he returned to Manchester, this time joining Manchester United. There, he played alongside Bobby CHARLTON and George BEST during a golden era of the club, helping them win the European Champion Clubs' Cup (now known as the UEFA Champions League) in 1968. Statues of the three players still stand outside Old Trafford to this day. Law was particularly beloved by fans and had been affectionately nicknamed “The King.”

However, in 1973, he was informed that his contract would not be renewed, and he returned to his former club, Manchester City. In a twist of fate, the two Manchester clubs faced each other in the final match day of the 1973-74 season, with United on the verge of relegation. And it was Law himself who scored the decisive goal against United.

Law realised what had happened the moment he scored the goal, and his face froze. His teammates gathered around to congratulate him, but he walked back to his own half without a smile.

He immediately requested to be substituted from the match and announced his retirement at the end of the season. United was where he spent 11 seasons of his prime as a player. He was well aware of how much he was loved by the fans. He deeply regretted that he had inadvertently caused them pain with the goal he scored.

“The referee gave the goal but he could have given anything. He could have given offside, a foul… but he's given a goal… I was very sad.”

Law made the above comments in a later interview. It is said that Law's behaviour started the tradition of not celebrating goals scored against one's former club.

Law passed away in January of this year, meaning all three men depicted in the bronze statue outside Old Trafford are now deceased. However, the story of Law's sad expression when he scored a goal against United has been passed down in Manchester from generation to generation.

Written by OSUMI Yoshiyuki (Football Journalist)

*This article was originally posted on the Japan Football Association Newsletter, “JFAnews,” March 2025 edition.

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