Manchester City:

1960-61, 1973-74

City’s New Hero

In March 1960, Denis made headlines when he joined Manchester City.

Record Fee

He joined for a record British transfer fee of £55,000. This was a massive deal, but as was typical of transfers at the time Denis received none of the fee.

Early Games

He made his debut on 19th March and scored in a thrilling 4–3 loss to Leeds United. Denis quickly proved his worth. In 1961, his two goals in a win over Aston Villa helped secure Manchester City’s place in England’s Division One.

Record Wiped

Later that year, Denis made headlines again, scoring a record six goals in a single FA Cup tie against Luton Town. However, the match was abandoned late in the second half due to heavy rain, and his incredible effort was wiped from the records. Luton went on to win the replay, knocking City out of the competition.

International Interest

Denis’s performances at City soon caught international attention. In 1961, he moved to Italian club Torino for another record British transfer fee of £110,000.

Final Chapter

Denis later returned to Manchester City for the 1973-74 season, making 24 appearances in what was to be the final magical spell of his professional career.

Even though Manchester City finished 13th in the First Division that season, Law ended as the club’s top scorer with 21 goals.
His individual brilliance stood out in a team struggling for form – a sign of the world-class player he was becoming.
Denis famously scored a back-heeled goal against his former club, Manchester United, in what was to be his final professional game.
Denis chose not to celebrate, walking away with his head down before being substituted. He later described feeling "numb," as though he had unintentionally hurt a close friend.

As he sat on the bench, he was met with an unexpected scene. A group of United fans ran onto the pitch, and Denis feared the worst.
But instead of anger, they greeted him with smiles, scarves, and handshakes. “You’re still the King,” one of them said, leaving Denis with a lump in his throat.