LAW'S LAST SAD MOVE

https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2018/04/busy-period.html
The 29th of April gets a mention here amongst a lot of other dates of matches played on that date from 1912. The first reference involves Barnsley FC, so it can't be bad!

In 1974, a year when I was finishing university and getting married soon after, it was Denis Law who was in the dog house after a career pinnacle at Manchester United. One time favourite of the Stretford End, Law produced "the unkindest cut of all" , as he sentenced his former team mates to life in the Second Division at Old Trafford, on Saturday April 27th.

Playing with United's greatest rivals, Manchester City, Law cheekily backheeled a pass from Francis Lee past Alex Stepney, with 8 minutes remaining. City won 1-0 and condemned United to the next division down.
https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrJ3s.TsKle34MAuBGe3olQ?p=Denis+Law+back+heel&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=itm&type=pds_sjiqmxum1acegikmuebkmoqsuwl96p7j8qmodg_19_42_ssg13&param1=1&param2=f%3D4%26b%3Dchrome%26ip%3D94.192.56.239%26pa%3Dpdfconverterds%26type%3Dpds_sjiqmxum1acegikmuebkmoqsuwl96p7j8qmodg_19_42_ssg13%26cat%3Dweb%26a%3Dpds_sjiqmxum1acegikmuebkmoqsuwl96p7j8qmodg_19_42_ssg13%26xlp_pers_guid%3Dgclid_cj0kcqjwuzdtbrdvarisapxfx3af0kw2x-cqb3krhrprevypch1mt6kyos5w7lhngaphg5pcnzjavl0aap5zealw_wcb%26xlp_sess_guid%3Dgclid_cj0kcqjwuzdtbrdvarisapxfx3af0kw2x-cqb3krhrprevypch1mt6kyos5w7lhngaphg5pcnzjavl0aap5zealw_wcb-ac4c-701db2846e3d%26uref%3D%26abid%3D%26xt_abg%3D%26xt_ver%3D10.1.4.69%26ls_ts%3D1571073304&fr=yhs-itm-001&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Ai%2Cm%3Apivot#id=2&vid=6df9f98b54e64ab6da027d0e35c4ea5c&action=view
A pitch invasion was sparked but quickly cleared. Soon, however, David Smith, the referee, had to abandon the game, and with fewer than 8 minutes left, the game was done and dusted. Two hundred fans were ejected from the stadium. 33 were arrested during an afternoon United would want to forget.
City came 14th in Division One (top one then) and Unijted were second from bottom, relegated with Sotuhampton (20/22) and Norwich, bottom.

The Football League were not persuaded to declare the match void and allowed the result to stand. Could United have equalised in those remaining few minutes? Blame the crowd.

Once a young professional with Huddersfield Town, under Bill Shankley, Law was up for sale in March 1960 and City grabbed the opportunity, buying him for a British record of £55,000. 15 months later Torino made an offer that City couldn't refuse, as Law went to Italy for £100,000 worth of Lira! 12 months later Law was back in Manchester, this time at United.

With Bobby Charlton and George Best alongside Law, Matt Busby had a trio of exciting players to call on. Law was, however, ageing and suffering with injuries so although he did his stuff he was not a regular and indeed, he missed United's European Cup Final triumph. He went back to City in 1973. In his final league game it was Law who had decided where United would go in 1974.

Law declared that he never wanted to play in this "last game" and was depressed for a week after the result.

In 1974-5, United won the Second Division by 3 points from Aston Villa and came 3rd in the top division the following season.