Aberdeen missed out on the striker on their doorstep who Sir Alex Ferguson regards as Scotland’s greatest ever player

15 April 1967 is a date implanted in the mind of any Scotland supporter who wants to declare their team unofficial world champions. The 3-2 victory over Alf Ramsey’s all-conquering England at Wembley is about as good as it has ever got. Denis Law had already missed a sitter from Willie Wallace’s cross by the time he put the visitors in front. Jim Baxter roamed from midfield, Wallace fired towards goal and, following brief ping-pong inside the England penalty area, Law slammed home. Scotland had fretted that Law might not be fit to play in the Home Championship match; he was to be part of a team celebrated over decades.

It is the same fixture at Hampden Park in 1966, though, that better epitomises Law. The forward is already mid-air to meet Willie Johnston’s corner by the time Bobby Moore sees fit to move. George Cohen and Gordon Banks are statuesque on the England goalline as the ball flies past them via Law’s head to afford Scotland a way back into a game where they already trailed by two. Law’s speed of thought was what set him apart. Journalists of the time noticed Law was rarely comfortable speaking about his method of scoring goals; instinct and a sublime talent were his key attributes. The best footballers often find it tricky to articulate how they do things.