The King receives a fitting send-off

It is easy to understand and appreciate that. As majestic a footballer as her father was, his human qualities were those that deserved to be remembered most fondly at Manchester Cathedral on Tuesday afternoon.

Anybody who ever spent any time in the company of a man so revered by so many, would know just how completely unaffected by fame he was. Remember we are talking about somebody whom Sir Alex Ferguson, during his reading, admitted he was in awe of. 

"He was called The King at Manchester United," said Sir Alex. "And, at the end of the day, he earned that."

Yet if he was royalty on the pitch, there were no airs and graces off it. Happy with a cup of tea and a natter, Denis often gave the impression, in retirement, that there was more to life than football for him. As was made abundantly clear, he was a family man and one who wanted to give something back. The term 'generous' was used frequently and it is an apt one when describing him, in a variety of ways.

His commitment to charity is well documented and this will leave a lasting legacy, in addition to the one in a footballing sense. One of the speakers, Mark Williams, talked of the 'Cruyff Courts' that instead bear Denis's name in his native Aberdeen, inspiring youngsters to engage in exercise and maybe achieve dreams of their own. A recurring theme was the fact that Law was one of seven children, born in 1940 when times growing up in the Granite City were as tough as the name might suggest.

The wee, skinny boy with a squint got around the disability by learning to play with one eye closed, Di stated. Somehow, he still managed to sign for Huddersfield Town and then had the corrective surgery which would at least put him on a level playing field with his peers. And how he grasped the opportunity, with the tenacity and ferocious will to win that Scots will tell you are part of their very fabric.

These are the qualities that Sir Alex so admires, and probably sees in himself. He told the audience that the "courage" so evident in his footballing hero, squaring up to the likes of Jack Charlton, even if he towered above the Reds striker, was an attribute he always looked for in a player.

Not only is it a trait that will serve you well on a pitch, when having to deal with brutal challenges and ongoing battles with defenders, but off it too. Nobody was going to prevent Denis from rising to the top of the game and he should serve as a source of inspiration for anybody in any walk of life.

Any scan of those in attendance at the famous landmark in Manchester, in addition to family and close friends, will have spotted United coaches, first-team players, staff and footballers from the past. The man who shares the international goalscoring record for Scotland with Law, Sir Kenny Dalglish, was present. As was one of only two men to have found the net more often for United, in Wayne Rooney.

Di mused that, now reunited with the other members of the United Trinity, Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best, her father may be up there picking a team now, with Sir Matt Busby as manager. And Denis's late wife of over 60 years, Diana, putting the kettle on.

You see it is impossible not to stray into football talk when discussing the great Denis Law. How can you avoid it when he means so much to so many people who follow the sport across the globe, and always will do? As long as the game is played, he will be in every conversation about the greatest strikers ever to grace it, with Sir Alex relaying that Pele once said Denis was the only British player who would have got into the world-beating Brazil side.

The two statues at Old Trafford mean he is immortalised at the place where he is so dearly loved and the legacy he leaves is a rich one. The Reverend Canon Grace Thomas summed it up as: "The end of an era but not the end."

Denis touched so many lives with his charm, wit and warmth. And it was so utterly uplifting to hear his voice again as the ceremony drew to a close. For all the sadness that was natural during the service, there he was in his element, joshing with kindred spirit, and fellow Scot, Rod Stewart as he sang 'Angel'. The recording echoed around the old building as the mourners turned to slowly and respectfully make their way outside.

It was how people who met Denis will remember him. With a smile. 

If there was an enduring message to take from a sometimes solemn afternoon, it was to be generous - to strangers but particularly with loved ones and those closest to you.

We cannot all be footballing royalty worshipped by a generation of fans. But we can all certainly be as kind and warm to people as Denis was.

Details on charities close to Denis's heart, the Alzheimer's Society and the Denis Law Foundation, can be found by clicking the links.