ARISE SIR KENNY
Liverpool legend Dalglish knighted
PROUD Liverpool football legend Kenny Dalglish received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last night.
Sir Kenny gave steadfast support to families who lost loved ones at Hillsborough, and has helped raise millions for cancer treatment.
FOOTBALL legend Kenny Dalglish has been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and said he is “hugely proud”.
The 67-year-old Scot has been given the gong for his charity work, services to football and the city of Liverpool.
Sir Kenny scored the winner for Liverpool in a European Cup Final and managed the club at the time of the Hillsborough disaster.
He and wife Marina have helped raise millions for cancer treatment through their Marina Dalglish Appeal following her battle with breast cancer.
The Glaswegian remained a steadfast supporter of the Hillsborough families in their lengthy campaign for justice.
“King Kenny” as he was dubbed by adoring Liverpool fans, joked he thought his award letter was from the taxman when it was delivered.
Sir Kenny will join the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson in a footballing knighthood hall of fame.
The Reds hero said: “We are immensely proud as a whole family.
“It’s not for me to decide what I do deserve and what I don’t deserve. There are a lot of people who played a part in where we have got to now.
“I don’t understand the process you have to go through to get this but obviously a lot of people must have been pushed forward.”
He added in tribute to fellow former Scottish managerial greats: “I am definitely no more deserving of an accolade like this than Jock Stein, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley were.
“I am just fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time and I would like to dedicate this honour to them.”
Meanwhile the world of acting saw a haul of gongs for services to drama. Nanny McPhee star Emma Thompson received a damehood, Pirates Of The Caribbean actress Keira Knightley was given an OBE and Peaky Blinders hunk Tom Hardy was made a CBE.
Batman actor Tom has faced a long road from rehab to royal honour. He has been teetotal since
2003 after battling a booze addiction.
Sport stars also rewarded included the world champion boxer Anthony Joshua, who was made an OBE.
The Alpine skier Menna Fitzpatrick, our most successful winter Paralympian and the youngest on this year’s list aged
20, picked up an MBE. Former assistant Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley was made a Sir for leading the response to the
2017 terror attacks in the capital. Grenfell heroes are expected to be honoured in future lists when “timeappropriate”, officials said. University Challenge legend Bamber Gascoigne was made a CBE for his work in the arts and the rapper Ms Dynamite got an MBE for her music achievements.
War correspondent Kate Adie was made a CBE for services to the media, while BBC Three star Stacey Dooley, known for her gritty investigations, received an MBE for services to broadcasting.
Some 1,057 people were handed awards in total. While many are famous, more are unsung heroes previously unknown outside their industries for tireless work among their communities and country. NHS workers make up 12% of those on Her Majesty’s list. The oldest recipient is 103-year-old Rosemary Powell, who helped the Royal British Legion for 97 years but finally retired from poppy-selling. Pioneering businesswoman Jo Malone, who grew up on a council estate, was made a CBE for her services to the economy. Ms Malone, who famously told she would “never make anything” of her life, sold her perfume empire to Estée Lauder. The Star Says: Page 6