Gareth Southgate officially knighted in New Year Honours list five months after Euros heartbreak

12/30/2024 05:31 PM

Ex-England boss Gareth Southgate has been knighted in the New Year Honours.

Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals after steering the Three Lions to a first World Cup semi-final since 1990.

His exploits made him the most successful England boss since 1966 World Cup-winning manager Sir Alf Ramsay.

Despite falling short on ending England's 58-year wait to win a major international tournament, Southgate helped unify the nation while instilling a belief that the current crop are nudging ever closer to that elusive title.

Southgate, who resigned from his post just days after England's Euro 2024 defeat to Spain in July, becomes the fourth England manager to receive a knighthood.

He joins Ramsey, Sir Walter Winterbottom, and Sir Bobby Robson in receiving the honour.

Former Wales and British and Irish Lions wing Gerald Davies has also been knighted for service to Rugby and for voluntary and charitable service in Wales.

Davis, who served as president of the Welsh Rugby Union, won three Grand Slams with Wales between 1966 and 1978 and made five appearances for the Lions in 1968 and 1971.

“I feel very emotional about it. I am surprised by it. Words are really quite inadequate to describe it,” Davies told the PA news agency.

“It comes out of the blue. I was dumbstruck in many ways, but you don’t achieve these things on your own.”

Sports representatives were dominted by Great Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic heroes.

Nine-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockcroft and Olympic 800 metre gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson have been handed a CBE and MBE respectively for their heroics at the Paris 2024 games.

Cockroft landed two medals in Paris after defending her women's T34 100m and 800m Paralympic titles.

Speaking to the PA news agency, she said: “Being put forward for the New Year Honours list is just the perfect ending to an incredible year.

“It’s been a big year with two golds and a silver medal at the World Championships in Japan in May, two gold medals at the Paralympics in Paris this summer, and a wedding – so it was a surprise to get my letter, but such a proud moment.”

Hogkinson joins 13 other Olympic champions in being honoured on the New Year's list.

Cyclist Tom Pidcock and swimmer Duncan Scott are both upgraded to OBE's while Helen Glover, who came out of retirement to win a rowing silver medal in the women’s four was also granted the honour.

Glover, who scooped two gold medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 games, made her return to Olympic competition after giving birth to twins in January 2020.

“It’s such an honour to be awarded an OBE," Glover said.

“I was determined that this Olympic journey would lead to winning a medal in front of three children and I felt supported by the parenting community. It makes me very proud to be recognised for trying to make a difference within this space.”

MBEs were also handed out to rowing champions Lola Anderson, Georgie Brayshaw, Emily Craig, Imogen Grant, Lauren Henry and Hannah Scott, cyclists Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane and Katy Marchant, trampoline gold medallist Bryony Page and kite-surfing winner Ellie Aldridge.

Page, who won gold in Paris after falling agonisingly short in London and Rio told the PA news agency: “This MBE is a wonderful accolade after such a fantastic year for me, one I am incredibly proud of, but more important I feel it is in recognition of years of dedication and efforts of my support team around me.”

Meanwhile, Aldridge, who took gold in kite surfing, said: “I feel very honoured to be on the New Year Honours list.

“It really has been an amazing year, and this feels like the cherry on the cake. I didn’t go to university and I never thought I’d ever have any letters after my name, let alone MBE.”

Track star Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who won her first Olympic medal with heptathlon silver in Paris, and three-time medallist Dina Asher-Smith were also granted MBEs

“I am deeply honoured to be recognised in the King’s New Years Honours list for services to athletics,” said Johnson-Thompson.

“My small contribution has only been possible due to the huge contributions made by so many others in helping me to chase and achieve my dreams over the last 20 years.”

Penny Briscoe, the director of sport at the British Paralympic Association who also served as Chef de Mission for the fifth time in Paris, is made a CBE for services to Paralympic sport.

Briscoe told the PA news agency: “As a passionate sports fan I feel both incredibly proud and humble to receive a CBE.

“I am forever grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the unforgettable experiences I have had with the support of dedicated and talented athletes and staff.”

A host of Paralympic gold medallists joined Cockroft in being honoured alongside Cockroft, with 23 athletes given OBEs.

Swimmers Tully Kearney and Alice Tai, cyclist Jaco Van Gass, and rowers Lauren Rowles and Erin Kennedy are among the recipients.

Ex-Formula One racer Martin Brundle is awarded an OBE, for services to motor racing and sports broadcasting, while former West Ham boss David Moyes has also been recognised.

Legendary Liverpool defender and ex-BBC pundit Alan Hansen has been made an MBE for services to football and broadcasting.

Dawn Astle, founder of the Jeff Astle Foundation to campaign for more research into head injuries in football, has been made an MBE.