{"id":1013,"date":"2025-06-04T16:08:57","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T15:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/connectedaberdeen.org\/woodside\/?p=1013"},"modified":"2025-06-04T16:08:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T15:08:59","slug":"the-rightful-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/connectedaberdeen.org\/woodside\/2025\/06\/04\/the-rightful-king\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rightful King"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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A ten-year-old boy looked up at the new mural on Clifton Court. ‘Is that Ronaldo?’ he asked his father. \u2018No son.’ he answered, ‘that’s Denis Law.’ ‘Who’s he?’<\/p>

An understandable question from the wee boy. After all, why should he know about some footballer from long ago? All sports, especially football, is all about the NOW. There’s nothing more important than today’s game. Who’s in, who’s out. The game could determine the league, the cup, relegation. A real six-pointer. When the kicks off, hearts start racing.<\/p>

Then next day the pundits pick over the bones of the match. One says, ‘what a signing,’ the other ‘the manager must go.’ Within a week the memory begins to fade, within a month the game is forgotten.<\/p>

But some games, some managers and some players are remembered.<\/p>

One of them is Denis Law.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Born and bred in the Print field area of Woodside, Denis Law was brought up in post-war poverty. He attended Powis School. His footballing talent was soon spotted and Denis was signed for Huddersfield, moving on to Torino before ending up with the club he’ll always be associated with, Manchester United. Lightning fast, with great skill with both feet, he made up a famous threesome with George Best and Bobby Charlton.<\/p>

Nicknamed the Lawman and simply ‘The King’, Denis scored many great goals for United and for Scotland, he was always proud to play for his country. Pele famously said that Law was the only British player that would get chosen for Brazil. He reached legendary fame for one goal in particular.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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United had given him a free transfer. Manchester city took him on.<\/p>

It was the second last game of the season, a game United had to win if they were to avoid relegation for the first time in their history.<\/p>

In the 81st minute Law backheeled it into the net and walked off the pitch. It wasn’t quite THE goal that sunk United, but the world saw it as such. It was the last kick he made as a professional player.<\/p>

Denis Law died in January of this year. It’s a shame he never saw the wonderful new mural that dominates the area where Denis Law played in the streets when he was a ten-year-old boy.<\/p>

Douglas Thomson<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Aberdeen Statues<\/strong><\/p>

Will Wallace said tae Bobby Bruce<\/p>

‘wha’s that doon by the Provost’s hoose?’<\/p>

The Bruce said ‘why, that’s Denis Law<\/p>

the finest man tae kick a ba”<\/p>

‘I’ll second that,’ said Rabbie Burns<\/p>

I lo’ the Lawman’s twists and turns.’<\/p>

The Lion said when Law did score,<\/p>

he couldna match the Hampden roar<\/p>

Lord Byron said ‘I’m mad and bad,<\/p>

but nae as dangerous as that lad<\/p>

And not amused was Good Queen Vic<\/p>

when Denis Law they didna pick<\/p>

Ed the Seventh said not one thing<\/p>

for Denis is the rightfu’ King.<\/p>

Douglas Thomson<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Meet the artist<\/strong><\/p>

The brand new, striking mural, was done by Australian visual artist, Jerome Davenport.<\/p>

Jerome, part of the Blank Walls Art Collective has previously been involved in delivering\u00a0 art projects in London,\u00a0 Germany, Portugal and even more in\u00a0 his homeland Australia.<\/p>

Jerome and a small team of helpers used the Pouncing technique that helps transfer work from paper on to a wall or other surface at a different scale. In this case it involved getting outlines of the main images i.e. the shape of the head in perspective, then working on detail once the proportions are correct.<\/p>

Jerome said; \u201c I was honored to get involved in this huge project to celebrate Woodside\u2019s Denis Law.<\/p>

\u201cThe reception and welcome\u00a0 from local people has been tremendous. There’s been great response and fantastic feedback from the community. It\u2019s important that he Community feel ownership of the work and feel some connection to the artwork\u201d.<\/p>

Feedback from the community.<\/strong><\/p>

Mark Lovie \u201cMost people are blown away with the striking images and the majestic scale of the figures. Its really got people talking, I spoke to one gent who\u2019s been living Woodside for many years and he said it was Terrific, he said, \u2018I\u2019m originally from Manchester and I went to see Denis Law Play when I was nineteen. He was a fabulous player, The King\u2019<\/p>

\u201cAnother said \u201cI was at the same school as Denis , I grew up in Sandilands and he grew up in Printfield, I was a year older than him.\u201d<\/p>

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A ten-year-old boy looked up at the new mural on Clifton Court. ‘Is that Ronaldo?’ he<\/p>\n