Denis Law's Signature: A Guide to Signed Shirts and Autographs

The King of the Stretford End

Law joined Manchester United in 1962 and became one of the most prolific forwards in the club's history. He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1964, the only Scottish player to receive the award, and formed the celebrated attacking trio with Best and Charlton. Supporters nicknamed him the King, and he remained a beloved figure at Old Trafford long after his playing days ended.

Unlike players who died young, Law attended dinners, signing sessions and club events for many years after retiring. That long public life is why signed Law items appear in a wide range of formats.

Signed replica shirts

Most Denis Law signed shirts on the market are vintage-style replicas: reproductions of the plain red United shirt of his era, made years later. There is nothing wrong with that. A replica shirt signed by Law at a later event is a genuine signed item, as long as it is described honestly as a replica and not as a shirt he wore.

What matters is the signature, not the shirt's age. Check that the ink looks naturally applied to fabric, with slight feathering where marker meets cotton, rather than suspiciously crisp lines that could suggest a printed transfer.

• A replica shirt should be described as a replica, not as match worn
• Look for natural ink behaviour on fabric
• Be cautious of many identical shirts offered at once
• Ask when and where the shirt was signed

Programmes and multi-signed pieces

Programmes from the 1960s signed by Law, Best, Charlton and others are among the most desirable United items, and among the most copied. Signatures on a genuine period programme should sit comfortably with the paper's age and condition. Where several legends appear on one piece, each name should look like the work of a different hand, with differing pressure, slant and pen.

In a framed montage, the signed element is usually a card, a photograph or the shirt itself, surrounded by printed images. A good listing tells you exactly which part is signed.

Questions worth asking

Where was it signed, and can the seller show anything that supports it? Will they stand behind the piece after you have paid? Is the item photographed clearly enough for you to see the signature properly? If the answers are vague, walk away.

Anything we sell comes with the WDW Certificate of Authenticity, signed by Derek Warwick, and that guarantee stays in force for as long as the piece is yours.

We currently list a Denis Law signed replica vintage shirt montage and Manchester United pieces that include his signature, each photographed so you can judge the signatures for yourself.

Looking after a signed Law shirt

Never wash a signed shirt. Keep it framed behind ultraviolet-filtering glazing, or stored flat with acid-free tissue over the signature, away from sunlight and damp. Our care guide for signed shirts goes into more detail.