Denis Law, the King of the Stretford End, has revealed how he put himself in a similar situation to Wayne Rooney over a contract. Whilst Rooney has now put pen to paper on a deal worth £160k-a-week, Law reveals how it has amused him to watch the fuss and compare it to the row he had with Sir Matt Busby over a £10-a-week pay rise.
“I couldn’t help smile as I thought back to the time when I also said I would leave the club if they refused my pay demand,” said Law. “I have no idea about the details of Rooney’s contract or the kind of sums involved, but I suspect there was a slight difference in what we were looking for. Back in 1966, I asked Matt Busby for a rise of £10 a week! His response was to bring it all out in the open. He announced that he wouldn’t be held to ransom and had put me on the transfer list. I don’t know about Wayne, but I never really wanted to leave United. I was just trying it on. And in fact there was never any animosity. Matt sorted it with me very cleverly. He gave me a prepared statement of apology to sign and he presented it to the press. He had proved again what a strong manager he was and I was back on board. What Matt didn’t reveal was that he had secretly given me the tenner. That was his way of handling things.”
Law also reflected on the modern state of the game, where players move around so freely and football has become totally money related.
“Every player wants to do the best for himself and his family and I understand that,” he continued. “But nowadays it seems to be much more of a business. What happened to the real love of football? Why don’t we read more about players’ ability and wonderful skills? Let’s hope that now this chapter has closed we’ll hear more about Wayne Rooney the footballer and Manchester United the great club.”
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Full article at The Telegraph
Man Utd News 24/7
Ha, From one number 10 to another. Think Denis has shown a bit more class. Probably down to the simple fact that Master Denis Law was speaking for himself.
Sir Matt Busby was a miserably old Scots penny pincher. lol Joking
The foundations of this club, so I was told.
Cant remember who tolt me that.
The true king of OT.
haha refreshing article, interesting to read and enjoyed it as well.. keep it up guys
I’m glad to see that Denis’s account of what happened back then is precisely what I said on another RoM thread yesterday. That’s a relief….Always good to hear from the King of course. Still the best out-and-out goal-scorer I’ve seen, even if he was also a wonderful midfield general, a position he fancied. Relating to criticisms of Rooney smoking cigarettes, I once saw Denis doing that at Wembley in the ’80s. He held the fag furtively inside his hand, like a naughty schoolboy at the back of the bicycle sheds, or like a labourer heltering it from wind and rain, only this was inside, in the hospitality lounge.
@ Giles look seriously we gotta stop meeting like this, clandestine covert think tanks.
Brilliant post.
talk about putting it in perspective fuck me
@ wayne , evening darling, wrong place”Fuck me”
Stay cool and red
@redscot always cool and red just watching ufc online
@ Wayne Hi there red, no harm ever meant from me, just generally laughing and joking.
Hope you get me.
Tell me please what is ufc?
a nice preview of stoke vs man utd
http://www.unitedzone.info/content/stoke-city-vs-manchester-united-match-preview-147/
@redscot ultimate fighting brock lesner fighting tonight, freak of nature mean mother its pay per view but atdhe.net get it for free.no worries i enjoy it aswell
@ wayne ok mate, enjoy. look after yourself.
If you can locate those mother fuckers of all rapists in FLORIDA that have pillaged our club.
Drop us a post card, wish you were not here and they are cappoot.
@redscot i emigrated to calgary, florida is 5000km away so unlikely i’m going to run into them.feelings mutual i think we’d argue if it was sunny or cloudy
Wow.. haha