On Sunday evening, a sold-out Hampden Park rose as one to pay tribute to Denis Law.

Our match programme featured a special contribution from respected football writer Graham Hunter - a dear friend to Denis and ambassador for the Denis Law Legacy Trust.

It’s easy to argue that Denis Law was the greatest footballer Britain ever produced and, on a night of huge emotion and pride like this, few would dare dispute it.

Sir Alex Ferguson not only idolised him. He called Denis 'one of the greatest the world has ever seen'.

Pele thought this Aberdonian was the rare European footballer who could have strolled into the greatest Brazil team. The only one.

But what a man. What a great man.

Denis was the best of us: the best of the grit, humour, flair, sharpness, goodness, loyalty and fearlessness that Scottish DNA can produce.

Many of you who chant his name tonight, who are reading this match programme, won't have been old enough to have seen 'The King' play.

But, in this tight space (Denis would appreciate the phrase, he loved to score in tight spaces) I don't propose an exhaustive chronology of his life and career - that's what the internet and YouTube exist for.

Just promise you'll set aside 15 minutes in the next couple of days - you'll be flooded with testimony to what he achieved, how he inspired, how awesome was the Lawman.

Right now, though, I'd like to hit you right between the eyes with what an admirable, exceptional, and loveable man we've just lost.

Lost after an 84-year life which he used to its fullest extent - living, laughing, loving and being loved.

Try and think of a youngster: one of seven kids; three to a bed; first shoes aged nine (bought 'on the drip' as he called tick or credit); first football boots a few years later, handed down from a neighbour; born with an eye-weakness; skinny not to say 'shargered'…and then imagine what kind of guy then goes on to become his nation's greatest footballer, an all-time legend at Manchester United, a bye-word for stylish, successful greatness?

Hardship which barely any of us can imagine…greatness about which every one of us dreams but will never achieve.

Truly amazing.

It's fitting, of course, that Scotland's first match since Denis died in January should be here at Hampden, the place which thrilled and inspired him.

The same place where, in 1973, he hopped and skipped around the turf after helping Willie Ormond's side beat European champions Czechoslovakia and qualify the boys in blue for his first (sadly only) World Cup finals tournament. In his autobiography he wrote: "I'll never forget how we qualified: the most fantastic night ever!

"I was the old boy, and I remember looking round the dressing-room at the young lads and thinking: 'We've been striving and striving since 1958 - you don't know what you've just done!'"

But if there's an iconic Denis Law Scotland game it’s 1967 at Wembley where he and 10 other heroes made us World Champions.

And, no, it doesn't matter whether the history books record it as such.

Using the 'winner-stays-on' rules, 'they' won it the previous summer, we beat them, with an opening goal from 'The King', and that's definitive: Scotland took the World Crown from England.

A few years ago I sat with the manager, Bobby Brown, plus the three scorers from that 3-2 win, Denis, Jim McCalliog and Bobby Lennox.

Bobby, who’d become a Lisbon Lion a few weeks later, told me: "What felt most important about the whole experience, even beating the world champions at Wembley, was that I was about to share the same dressing room as the great Denis Law!

"When I came down to the team hotel restaurant on the first day Denis, sitting with Jim Baxter, yelled over: 'Come over here, wee man, and give us your patter!’

"Of the entire trip, that was the best thing that happened to me!"

Second Scotland cap, beating the World Cup winners, scoring at Wembley - but Denis Law treating him like an equal was the greatest thrill for Bobby Lennox. Doesn't that speak for itself?

About the experience Denis recalled: "Apparently England had won the World Cup the year before, but I've still never seen it!

"No way was I going back up to Manchester to have Nobby Stiles and Bobby Charlton winding me up about beating 'your lot!'"

Stiles, for his part, recalled looking across to his Manchester United team-mate in the Wembley tunnel (in reality they adored one another) and being 'completely blanked' by Denis then thinking: 'Jesus Christ…this IS war!'

Maybe the funniest thing that great afternoon was Denis b********* Jim Baxter for playing keepy-uppy 'juggling the ball and messing about'.

To 'Slim' Jim that was how to humiliate the English.

Denis saw it differently: "If Jim hadn't been 'fiddling about' we could really have battered them!"

What Denis won, trophies for United and the only Ballon D'Or awarded to a Scotsman, remains important and impressive.

But for anyone that knew him, knew his personality, his humanity, his sense of humour, they understood that his overwhelming love for his family, and pride in them, made even the magnificence of silverware and statistical records pale into insignificance.

He met the love of his life, a love which easily endured the 63 years which passed from meeting Diana on the dance floor of Aberdeen's Beach Ballroom in 1962, beyond Di's death in 2024 to Denis' last days.

He admits that she was precious-little impressed that he was a famous footballer, which Denis admired, and that their first date was nearly ruined by his car breaking down so that he needed to run at full tilt for about 15 minutes to reach their appointed meeting place, Italian suit and shoes by then looking pretty bedraggled, but there she was still waiting, still knowing that they were meant to be together, then and always.

Denis adored that!

He and Diana were blessed - wonderful children in Di Junior, Gary, Iain, Rob and Andrew: Denis loved to have fun with their grandkids. A dynasty of good, kind, hard-working, talented, likeable people all with Aberdonian roots.

Beyond football, beyond being enormously proud of his adored family, a proud part of Denis' legacy will always be the role he played in the Denis Law Legacy Trust and its support of RGU Streetsport in Aberdeen.

Actively promoting health and wellbeing, Streetsport keeps eliminating barriers for 'hard to reach' youngsters by widening sport access and fostering a sense of social value and responsibility within their own communities.

In partnership with Robert Gordon University the programme reduces youth crime and anti-social behaviour; improves health and wellbeing; and encourage inclusivity through sport, physical activity and creative endeavour.

The programme currently exceeds 20,000 annual active participations across Denis' home city. All in his name, all with his unwavering support.

Simply because of The Lawman's achievements, reputation and the inspired work of his charitable foundation the Cruyff Organisation brought Cruyff Courts to Aberdeen - now there are three with a fourth in construction, equalling London as the only two cities in UK with that total.

The UK Pride of Sport Judging Panel said about it all: "So many people complain that kids don't play outside anymore, and that there is nothing for them to do.

"Streetsport is the perfect antidote to that; the Cruyff Court Denis Law is a stroke of genius and its impact is undeniable."

At Hampden, as we celebrate the life and times of the Lawman, Scotland's equal top-scorer, it will be Flower of Scotland the crowd roars before the Greece match '…when will we see, your likes again?'

But I'll be thinking of another Corries song, a lament: 'King Fareweel…aye fareweel…'

Truly he was the best of us, 'The King’ and we'll never see his likes again. Farewell, Denis. 

You can find out more about the Denis Law Legacy Trust here.