Scotland’s only winner of the prestigious footballing award Ballon d'Or Denis Law is to be honoured with a commemorative plaque in the area he grew up in Aberdeen.
Denis Law CBE was born on 24 February 1940 and raised in the Printfield area of Aberdeen, attending the former Powis Academy before moving to England to play for Huddersfield when he was 16. He went on to play for Manchester United, Torino, and Manchester City. Known as The Lawman, he scored 30 goals for Scotland. He died earlier this year, on 17 January 2025.
The commemorative plaque will be sited at his birthplace at 6B Printfield Terrace. The Denis Law Legacy Trust had made the application which was unanimously agreed today by Aberdeen City Council’s Finance and Resources Committee, going against normal criteria for plaques that the person should have died at least 20 years ago and have been born more than 100 years ago.
Finance and Resources convener Councillor Alex McLellan said: “Denis especially demonstrated his strong and caring commitment to younger generations by creating a legacy trust. The positive support and opportunities that Denis Law has given through the trust is an enduring way to celebrate our much-loved and much-respected local football hero.
“Denis Law has been an inspiring role model to so many people as well as being an exceptional footballer – he was and continues to be a hero in Aberdeen and abroad and we are very happy to agree to a commemorative plaque.”
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: "It shows the depth of feeling to Denis Law that the Committee agreed today to go against normal criteria and agreed to a commemorative plaque honouring him.
“It is fitting he is recognised for all his achievements, not just those on the football pitch.”
Denis was European footballer of the year and Scotland's only winner of Ballon d'Or, football’s most prestigious award for individuals. Denis frequently returned home to Aberdeen to his roots with several accolades in his honour. These include the Freedom of the City, featuring in the Sporting Champions section of Provost Skene’s House, and a 4.7m high bronze statue was unveiled in his honour in 2021.
When Denis received the Freedom of the City in November 2017, more than 15,000 people lined the streets of Aberdeen as he led the annual Christmas lights switch-on parade, following an earlier conferral ceremony at the Beach Ballroom. He said at the time that receiving the Freedom of the City as one of his life’s highlights.
Denis and his friend Sir Alex Ferguson feature in Provost Skene’s House, which showcases people with links to Aberdeen and the North East who have transformed the wider world.
The bronze statue of Denis was unveiled by The King himself in the heart of his home city in Marischal Square, beside Provost Skene’s House. Sir Alex Ferguson was at the ceremony to watch the unveiling.
Denis was known as ‘The King’ for his achievements in football and the statue was sited to be in close proximity to the statue of King Robert the Bruce outside Marischal College – two kings of the city facing each other.
The legacy of Denis Law continues to be represented within Aberdeen through Denis Law Legacy Trust and its successful Streetsport initiative with Robert Gordon University, as well as the Trust’s Cruyff Courts in partnership with Aberdeen City Council.
There is also a statue located at Aberdeen Sports Village and the Denis Law Legacy Trail - large-scale murals depicting Law on buildings in Printfield – is to be launched this month (May 2025).