Robert Burns was quoted in the order of service: "Now's the day and now's the hour."

Above those words was an evocative celebratory image of a topless and smiling Denis Law in the dressing room, swigging from a bottle of champagne.

"I normally read off the top of my head," Sir Alex Ferguson told the audience. "But I can't today."

Ferguson stood at the same lectern Manchester Cathedral five weeks ago to read a eulogy to Kath Phipps off the top of his head. He was visibly emotional as he gave another reading to his hero, Law.

More than 100 United fans congregated outside the Cathedral in bitingly cold conditions. One fan sported a Liverpool jacket. Their own 'King' - Sir Kenny Dalglish - arrived to pay homage to United's King.

A handful of Real Madrid fans gathered ahead of their Champions League tie with City. Sinclair's Oyster Bar, a favourite haunt for travelling European fans in Manchester, is around the corner.

The good and the great were on the guest list: Ferguson, Dalglish, Robson, Van Nistelrooy, Scholes, Rooney, Neville, Schmeichel, Butt. United captains past and present, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes, along with Tom Heaton, represented the first team.

Fernandes had his tie adjusted by a press officer as he strolled towards the cathedral in his Paul Smith club suit. An elderly lady later thanked him as he walked past. Ruben Amorim was flanked by his assistant, Carlos Fernandes, and other select backroom staff members.

Teammates of Law's braved the chill: Alex Stepney, Willie Morgan, Sammy McIlroy, Jim Ryan, Brian Kidd and Martin Buchan. Mike Summerbee from Law's City days.

"He was reserved, Denis, a very reserved person," Kidd said on the Cathedral steps. "Shy really. You wouldn't have thought that when you saw him on the pitch, but he was. He was just a wonderful person. Very humble. I'll never forget him, the 'Lawman'. It's a sad time."

Familiar faces from United's past, be it Richard Arnold, John Murtough, David Gill or the old club secretaries Kens Merrett and Ramsden and John Alexander, flocked to the Cathedral.

The service was coordinated by two former United employees let go by the club last year. This is the second United-related funeral they have coordinated at the Cathedral in as many months and they continue to represent their club with distinction, despite ties having been officially severed.

When fans spotted Law's coffin, bound for the opposite entrance to the one the arrivals entered through, they flocked to that side. It did not matter that Amorim and his players had just disembarked the coach.

Bagpipes played the Flower of Scotland before the pall-bearers gently carried Law's coffin through the doors. "Denis loved beating England," Ferguson reminded those who had gathered. He recalled Law giving Nobby Stiles, a club teammate he was genuinely fond of, a withering look in the tunnel at Hampden Park before an international.

Law's wife, Diana, passed away last year. Their daughter and namesake, Diana Buckley, resplendent in a scarlet red coat and a black fascinator, read the opening eulogy. She barely dwelt on Law the footballer as she celebrated Law the husband and father.

Denis and Di met in an Aberdeenshire dance hall in 1962. Law had long since left Italy, but had embraced its style and was in an impeccably tailored suit. They arranged a date yet Law's car broke down on the way to meet Di.

Clad in the same suit, he ran to meet Di and the suit was not as befitting as it was at the start of the evening. Di was still waiting for him. Law proposed three weeks later. Di thought that too soon. They were engaged after six weeks.

When they celebrated their Diamond anniversary in 2022, the 'King' received a letter of congratulations from the King, Charles III.

There is a dazzling snapshot of Law on Oxford Road in front of the old Odeon from the early Sixties. The United players used to go to the cinema as a group and would toss a coin to decide who would pay for the tickets and confectionery. One player always avoided paying.

"So next week, all the lads went to the cinema, dad pulled out the coin, slipped it, and the same player had to buy everything," Diana explained. "Dad, George (Best), Paddy (Crerand) and Nobby would clear the shelves of all the boxes of chocolates.

"This happened the next week and the week after that until one day, dad threw it into the air and it landed on the floor to reveal two heads. Dad was rumbled and just managed to laugh his way out of a black eye."

Manchester was Law's adopted home. "The people of Manchester made him one of their own," his daughter stressed. Law adored Mancunians and their "northern grit".

“There is an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman," Di began. "Don't worry, this isn't going to be a bad joke. They're all up there in heaven, reunited, smiling down, and I’d like to think they've started a team with all the others.

"Sir Matt is at the helm and mum’s making them all a cup of tea." Best's son, Callum, was in the Cathedral 19 years after Law was by his side at Cromwell Hospital after George died.

Law's son, Iain, read a poem and was composed by his sister, Liz. It ended: "I miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin, Until the day comes we're together again." Liz read Psalm 23. A sweet image of Denis, Di and their five children, lined up at home in the Seventies, graced the final page of the order of service.

Ferguson remembered something as simple as a pleasurable cup of tea with his idol. "In my early days at United when Denis was working in radio, we were held up in Greece because the flight was delayed. It was an opportunity to try and get closer to Denis.

"I was in awe of him, as a lot of people were. I said to him, 'why don’t you come for a cup tea some day to the Cliff?'. He says, 'Are you joking, I’m the last person you want to see there, the press will have a field day!' He said, 'if you win the league I’ll be there the next morning.'

"After we beat Blackburn Rovers on that Monday night (in 1993), he was there the next morning for his cup of tea." Ferguson used the word 'courage' six times to encapsulate Law's spirit.

We heard Law's joyous voice echo around the Cathedral, as though his spirit was already among us. It was a recording of Law introducing Rod Stewart's rendition of Angel.

A saltire wreath with a message from Stewart was placed outside the Cathedral. Its message read, "You are, and always will be, my footballing hero."

The coffin was carried out and there was an impromptu round of applause, while fans sang outside. The day and the hour had passed.