Full list of knighted British footballers revealed as David Beckham joins exclusive club – can you name them all?
SIR OF THE MOMENT Full list of knighted British footballers revealed as David Beckham joins exclusive club – can you name them all?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
DAVID BECKHAM has joined an exclusive club after becoming the latest British football star to receive a knighthood.
Golden Balls will officially arise as Sir Becks after SunSport exclusively revealed he will be knighted in the King's Birthday Honours next week.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
10
David Beckham will join an exclusive list of British football stars when he is knighted
Credit: Getty
10
Sir Gareth Southgate was the most recent to be honoured earlier this year
Credit: PA
10
Sir Alex Ferguson was knighted when he led Man Utd to the Treble in 1999
Credit: PA:Press Association
10
Sir Bobby Robson received his award in 2002
Credit: AFP
Beckham, 50, has long yearned for a knighthood after his services to the beautiful game.
And Spice Girl wife Victoria will benefit by becoming Lady Beckham.
Former Manchester United star Becks, who played 115 times for England and has made major contributions to charity, has struck up a firm friendship with King Charles.
He will now join an exclusive group of other British football personalities to receive royal knighthoods.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
NOW WE'RE BOTH POSH! David Beckham to be awarded knighthood after string of near misses
But just 16 names are already on the list.
The first was Sir Charles Clegg, who received his award in 1927 after both playing for England and later serving as chairman and president of the FA.
He was followed by Sir Stanley Rous in 1949, a former referee who was also the sixth president of FIFA.
England legend Sir Stanley Matthews next received one in 1965 while still being an active player, having become the first person to win the European Footballer of the Year award.
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
World Cup-winning manager Sir Alf Ramsey then got his in 1967, a year after leading the Three Lions to glory against West Germany.
And in 1968 it was the turn of Man United icon Sir Matt Busby, the first manager of an English team to win the European Cup.
David Beckham to finally be awarded knighthood after string of near misses & disappointments over more than a decade
10
Sir Matt Busby was given his knighthood in 1968
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
10
SunSport exclusively revealed Sir Tom Finney's award in 1998
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
10
Sir Geoff Hurst got his award in 1998
Credit: PA:Press Association
Fast forward 10 years later and Sir Walter Winterbottom was the next to receive a knighthood after becoming the first-ever England gaffer in 1946.
Sir Bert Millichip then got one in 1991 after his time as chairman of the FA.
Three years later it was Sir Bobby Charlton's turn, having previously been award a CBE and an OBE.
In 1998, both Sir Geoff Hurst and Sir Tom Finney were knighted by the Queen - with news of the latter's honour exclusively revealed by SunSport.
And one year later Sir Alex Ferguson received his after leading Man United to the Treble.
10
Sir Trevor Brooking was knighted in 2004
Credit: Alamy
10
Sir Kenny Dalglish received his title in 2018
Credit: PA
10
Brazil legend Pele was given an honorary knighthood in 1997
Credit: AP:Associated Press
Newcastle legend Sir Bobby Robson was then knighted in 2002 thanks to his iconic career in the dugout.
Sir Trevor Brooking followed two years later, with Sir Dave Richards honoured in 2006.
Sir Kenny Dalglish then became the next 12 years later in 2018 thanks to his brilliant time with Liverpool as both boss and player.
And in January, Sir Gareth Southgate was awarded for leading England for successive second-place finishes at the European Championships.
Now, it's Beckham's turn to take his place among the pantheon of British football legends.
But an additional knighthood has also been given to a non-Brit, with the late Brazilian legend Pele receiving an honorary one in 1997.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Jack Draper gets the better of Emma Raducanu in US Open mixed doubles
British number one men's player Draper and American partner Pegula overcame men's world number two Alcaraz and top-ranked British woman Raducanu 4-2 4-2 in 51 minutes to reach the quarter-finals. Raducanu lost her serve in the opening game and although there were no further break points in the set, that was enough for Draper and Pegula to clinch it. Little trouble for the top seeds! — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 19, 2025 Alcaraz and Raducanu opened up a 1-0 lead in the second set but were broken again to fall 2-1 behind and Draper demonstrated his accuracy and power to hold his own serve to edge 3-1 ahead. Raducanu saved three break points before holding to cut the deficit to 3-2, but Draper sealed victory on the third match point in the next game with a stunning forehand down the line. Draper and Pegula returned to book their place in the semi-finals as they thrashed Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva – conquerors of Novak Djokovic and Olga Danilovic – 4-1 4-1. A good day at work for these two 🫂@jackdraper0 & @JPegula are into the @usopen semi-finals #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | #USOpen — LTA (@the_LTA) August 19, 2025 The pair will face Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in Wednesday's semi-final, with the final to be played later the same day. The mixed doubles has come under the spotlight at Flushing Meadows after being rescheduled to start before the main tournament, with one million dollars (£750,000) in prize money at stake for the winners of the 16-pair event.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Australian novel attracts controversy over fictionalised depiction of gay codebreaker Alan Turing
A novel written by a prominent book industry figure in which persecuted gay man Alan Turing has sex with a woman and fathers a child has been criticised online for its portrayal of the codebreaker. The Turing Protocol was released in July and was written by Nick Croydon, the CEO of QBD Books, the largest Australian-owned bookshop chain, where the book is being heavily promoted. Published by Affirm Press, which was bought by Simon & Schuster last year, the novel's cover features the question: 'If you had the power to change history, would you dare?' In the thriller, Turing, the brilliant British wartime mathematician and computer pioneer, builds a time travel machine and has sex with Joan Clarke, with whom he secretly fathers a child. Turing is otherwise depicted as gay and the story includes details of his persecution for his sexuality. In real life, Turing was briefly engaged to Bletchley Park colleague, Clarke, when the pair were employed in vital code-breaking during the war. He was later convicted for 'gross indecency' with another man and died by suicide at the age of 41 after enduring chemical castration. Queen Elizabeth II posthumously pardoned Turing in 2013, four years after prime minister Gordon Brown apologised for his 'appalling' treatment. Croydon told The Australian newspaper he had not pretended Turing was straight, but needed to give him a child for the purpose of his plot. 'I wrote this novel as a tribute to him. I wanted to highlight the genius that he was, but also the injustice that he suffered,' he said. As of Tuesday afternoon, the book had received 115 ratings on Goodreads, with five stars making up 21% and one stars making up 64%. Many of the most positive reviews came from first-time Goodreads reviewers. The negative reviews included anger about what some claimed was the 'erasure' of gay history. 'Anyone who is aware of Alan Turing and his prosecution will be scratching their head in disbelief,' one reader wrote. 'Erasing the whole point of Alan Turing's tragedy is one of the worst things someone can do. Erasing LGBTQ history, erasing a real person's pain? … Turing was not some fictional character to straight-ify,' wrote another. The book is QBD's fiction book of the month and is being actively marketed by the company, including a promotional Channel 7 interview in which Croydon explained that his favourite subjects at school were history and mathematics. Authors who have endorsed the book include historical fiction writer Fiona McIntosh and former QBD fiction book of the month author, Chris Hammer, who compared the book to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Prize-winning author Trent Dalton described the book as 'wildly imaginative' and urged people to 'read the Turing Protocol now', while Candice Fox said it was 'vivid'. Commenting on gay erasure broadly, Equality Australia legal director, Heather Corkhill, told Guardian Australia that 'erasing or marginalising LGBTIQ+ people and characters from historical and cultural narratives to fit a more heteronormative or 'traditional' worldview is not a new phenomenon – but it risks erasing our shared history and diminishing our understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience'. 'At no time did I say Turing wasn't gay,' Croydon said, according to the Australian. 'The book makes it very plain that he is gay. It talks about how he had to hide the fact that he was gay, and in the historical note page at the back of the book I again acknowledge the travesty of the treatment he received.' In a statement released last week, QBD said throughout the novel, Turing's 'identity as a gay man is neither erased, questioned nor diminished'. 'Speculative historical fiction often examines phenomena like lavender marriages – arrangements where LGBTQ+ individuals married opposite-sex partners due to societal pressures, ensuring protection and companionship – which were common during Turing's era and beyond. 'Regarding reviews, it's not unusual for friends, family, colleagues and peers to provide reviews of an author's work. QBD Books staff are a team of avid readers across the country who engage with literature passionately, some of whom have shared their genuine views on the book – both complimentary and critical. 'QBD Books' Book of the Month program follows a rigorous selection process that highlights debut or new authors who have written standout works. Each month submissions are received from publishers, and new releases are reviewed by our team of expert buyers, after which we select four titles for the whole calendar month to spotlight.' QBD, Simon and Schuster and Croydon have been contacted for comment.
Press and Journal
3 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Gallery: 60 years of thrills and spills at Fintray Hillclimb motorsport event in 24 photos
Twice a year, the quiet idyll of a working farm in secluded woodland near the River Don is shattered by speeding cars as the Fintray Hillclimb roars into action. 2025 marks an incredible 60 years of the motorsport event, which has attracted generations of petrolheads to the former Fintray House estate near Hatton of Fintray. Hillclimbs are one of the oldest forms of motorsport, where drivers tackle uphill courses one by one against the clock with the winner being the quickest. Many of motorsport's finest like Sir Jackie Stewart started their competitive racing days at sprints and hillclimbs. The 1960s was an exciting era in British motor racing when Jim Clark and Graham Hill et al were scooping up trophies and titles galore. But back in Aberdeenshire, a new motorsport event was gearing up to launch. The Aberdeen and District Motor Club got recognition of their course on the old Fintray House policies as an authorised speed circuit. The relatively short 620-yard (567m) hill was only the third RAC-recognised hillclimb in Scotland. But it wasn't about the length. The track lead into a long right-hander where the climb began, followed by a left-hander which almost without warning turned into a 180 hairpin bend. With no camber, the track then followed a short straight before terminating in a hairpin right and sprint to the finish. The first official event was held on August 1 1965 in glorious sunshine and was opened by Scottish hillclimb champion Rae Fielding. A total of 68 competitors from motor clubs across Scotland took part in front of a crowd of more than 2000 spectators. Notable entrants that weekend included Aberdeen racing driver Willie Forbes who drove his Elva BMW, setting the fastest time of the day at 30.6 secs. He pipped Rae Fielding to victory when the latter had transmission trouble while competing. But hillclimbs weren't just the preserve of men, they attracted women too – and even husband and wife teams. At the inaugural Fintray Hillclimb, Fraserburgh entrants Jimmy Adams and Margaret Jack both competed in a 1275cc Cooper S. Jimmy was only six-tenths of a second behind winner of his class with a time of 38.2 secs, while Margaret took fourth place with 41.4 secs. The hillclimb's debut was so successful that the second event on September 26 1965 attracted 78 competitors across nine classes. Drivers came from across Scotland for the second round, which counted towards the Scottish speed championships. Competitors included super husband and wife duo Agnes and Gray Mickel. Both were well-known hillclimb enthusiasts and competed in many single-seater races throughout the 1960s and '70s in their 2.5l Cooper racer. Talented Agnes, from Glasgow, routinely raced (and won) against men in sprints, hillclimbs and rallies. Miss G Stewart of Paisley, a regular at Crimond sprint, also competed in the saloon class in her red Sunbeam Alpine. The hillclimb has continued to run at Fintray since the 1960s and remains the sort of event that lets spectators get close to the action. Grampian Automobile Club (GAC) established in the 1990s to keep the Fintray Hillclimb going, being the only event of its kind left in the north-east of Scotland. GAC hosted their first hillclimb May 1995 and has continued to run four events a year over two weekends ever since. When the cars aren't on the track, they're accessible in the pits for enthusiasts to admire and photograph. Safety features and the types of cars competing may have changed over the years, but the spirit of the original hillclimb is still very much alive and thriving in Aberdeenshire.
