Wilkinson and Earps among sportspeople to receive honours at castle
A FORMER football manager held in high regard across Yorkshire was honoured at Windsor Castle.
Howard Wilkinson, 80, who had successful spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United, received the OBE for services to football and charity. He recently retired as chairman of the League Managers Association and is a former technical director of The FA.
Wilkinson was the last English manager to win the top flight, guiding Leeds to the 1991/92 First Division title.
He had earlier led Sheffield Wednesday to promotion from the Second Division in his first season before establishing the club in the First Division for the next four years.
He was among a number of people from the world of sport to be honoured yesterday.
Mary Earps, the Manchester United and England goalkeeper, was made an MBE for services to football during an investiture ceremony conducted by the Prince of Wales. Speaking afterwards, the 31-year-old said she was “very prepared” for Sunday’s FA Cup final against Tottenham.
Other recipients of honours included former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, 74, who holds the England men’s team caps record with 125 appearances between 1970 and 1990. He was made a CBE for his services to association football and the prevention of gambling harm.
Former rugby union player, World Rugby Chairman, and television personality Sir Bill Beaumont saw his knighthood upgraded to a Knight Grand Cross for services to rugby and charity.
Meanwhile, film director Sir Ridley Scott, whose family is on Teesside, was made a Knight Grand Cross.
The 86-year-old, whose filmography includes Gladiator, Blade Runner and Alien, was recognised for services to the UK film industry.
He began his career as a set designer for the BBC after studying at West Hartlepool College of Art and the Royal College of Art.
He was quickly promoted to director and worked on classic TV shows, including popular police series Z Cars.
In 1977, Sir Ridley made his first foray into movies with The Duellists, which won the jury prize for best first work at the Cannes Film Festival.
He followed it with the landmark science fiction films Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982).