LAWMAN – I'LL NEVER FORGIVE THE DOC

"It really hurt because I had been with United for 11 years
and loved the club. It will be hard to ever forgive Docherty
for what he put my family through at that time. I felt
really badly let down.

"What made it even worse was I had actually helped Docherty
get the United job in the first place. Matt Busby, who was
by then a director at Old Trafford, took me aside and asked
for some advice when they were looking for a successor to
Frank O'Farrell. Matt asked if I thought Docherty would do a
good job.

"I had known Docherty for years, we had even played for
Scotland together so I was happy to say I thought he would.
It was pretty much on my word that United went for him.

"But four months after helping Docherty ease through the
front door at Old Trafford he repaid me by easing me out the
back one! It was totally unexpected.

"I was only 33 and still one year left in my contract and
felt fit enough to see it through.

"When it was announced on the television in the pub I was
stuck for words. It was a terrible way for the news to be
broken that my career with United was over.”

As history shows, Denis went to City and came back to haunt
the Doc with a goal at Old Trafford that, although didn’t
actually send United down, was symbolic of our relegation in
1974:

"It's the one goal in my career I still wish I hadn't
scored. Despite the bad blood between me and Docherty, I
never wanted to send him or United down.

"I didn't celebrate that goal though. I felt sick as I
wandered back to the centre-line and realised what I had
just done."