New Year Honours 2025: Gareth Southgate is knighted
2024-12-31
Category: sports

Former England manager Gareth Southgate has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list.Southgate, 54, stepped down from the role in July after leading England to the final of Euro 2024.England were beaten by Spain in their second consecutive European final under Southgate, who also guided the side to the 2018 World Cup semi-final during his eight-year tenure.Southgate is the fourth England manager to be knighted, following Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson.FA chair Debbie Hewitt said Southgate had "embodied the best of English football"."He brought our fans closer than ever to the team, stood up for what he believed in and inspired players to share his pride in representing England," she said."It has been a privilege to know the man and the manager. All of us who have experienced his thoughtfulness, dedication and leadership are delighted with this wonderful news."Former Wales and British & Irish Lions winger Gerald Davies will also receive a knighthood.The 79-year-old, who was president of the Welsh Rugby Union for four years up to 2023, has been honoured for services to the sport and to voluntary and charitable service in Wales."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."Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024, becomes an MBE."This year has been incredibly special for so many reasons and it's such a nice surprise to have been honoured in this way," Hodgkinson said.The 22-year-old is recognised alongside several Team GB colleagues after this summer's Games in Paris, while numerous Paralympians are also awarded honours.
Hannah Cockroft is made a CBE after claiming her ninth career Paralympic gold medal."Being put forward for the New Year Honours list is just the perfect ending to an incredible year," Cockroft told the PA news agency."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."Helen Glover, Tom Pidcock and Duncan Scott become OBEs after winning medals at the 2024 Olympics.Rower Glover - who won golds in 2016 and 2012 - claimed silver in Paris, while cyclist Pidcock and swimmer Scott both left the French capital with gold.Paralympians Lauren Rowles, Sammi Kinghorn, Tully Kearney, Erin Kennedy, Alice Tai and Jaco van Gass have also been recognised with an OBE.Olympians Ellie Aldridge, Dina Asher-Smith, Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Katy Marchant and Bryony Page are among those appointed an MBE."I am deeply honoured to be recognised in the King's New Year Honours list for services to athletics," Johnson-Thompson told the PA news agency."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."Stephen Clegg, William Ellard, Dave Ellis and Jodie Grinham are among the Paralympians on the MBE list.Penny Briscoe, the chef de mission for ParalympicsGB, is also made a CBE.Former Liverpool and Scotland defender Alan Hansen, who has recovered from being seriously ill earlier this year, is appointed an MBE for his services to football and broadcasting.The 69-year-old moved into punditry and worked on BBC's Match of the Day from 1992 until 2014 after a glittering playing career during which he won eight First Division titles, three European Cups and two FA Cups.Former West Ham United manager David Moyes is made an OBE for services to football.Other honours from football include Northern Ireland midfielder Marissa Callaghan, who is made an MBE for services football and to the community in Northern Ireland. Former Trust chair of the English Football League, John Nixon, is recognised with an MBE. Founder of the Jeff Astle Foundation Dawn Astle becomes an MBE for services to footballers with dementia, while Penelope Watson also receives an MBE for services to dementia care in football.Former hockey player Anita White, who captained England during their successful 1975 World Cup campaign, has been awarded a CBE for services to women and to sport.White is the founder of International Working Group on Women and Sport, Women in Sport, and the Anita White Foundation.
New Year Honours list for sports
KnighthoodGerald Davies (former Wales winger and Welsh Rugby Union president), for services to rugby union and to voluntary and charitable service in WalesGareth Southgate (former England player and manager), for services to footballCommanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)Penny Briscoe (chef de mission, ParalympicsGB), for services to Paralympic sportHannah Cockroft (Paralympic athlete), for services to athleticsRowenna Fyfield (independent non-executive director, the Premier League and BBC commercial), for services to the sports and broadcasting industriesAnita White (founder of International Working Group on Women and Sport and the Anita White Foundation, co-founder of Women in Sport), for services to women and to sportOfficers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)Rod Bransgrove (former chair of Hampshire CCC), for services to sportMartin Brundle (former F1 driver, now a broadcaster), for services to motor racing and sports broadcastingKen Davy (Huddersfield Giants chairman and former Super League executive chairman), for services to community rugby leagueHelen Glover (Olympic rower), for services to rowingRuth Hollis (chief executive officer, Spirit of 2012), for services to sport, to the arts and to volunteeringTully Kearney (Paralympic swimmer), for services to swimmingErin Kennedy (Paralympic rower), for services to rowing and to breast cancer awarenessSammi Kinghorn (Paralympic athlete), for services to athleticsAnthony Martin (former Super League touch judge), for services to rugby leagueDavid Moyes (former West Ham manager), for services to footballTom Pidcock (Olympic cyclist), for services to cyclingLauren Rowles (Paralympic rower), for services to rowingDuncan Scott (Olympic swimmer), for services to swimmingAlice Tai (Paralympic swimmer), for services to swimmingJaco van Gass (Paralympic cyclist), for services to cycling
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)Eleanor Aldridge (Olympic sailor), for services to sailingLola Anderson (Olympic rower), for services to rowingDina Asher-Smith (Olympic athlete), for services to athleticsDawn Astle (founder of The Jeff Astle Foundation), for services to footballers with dementiaGeorgina Brayshaw (Olympic rower), for services to rowingPaul Caddick (founder of the Caddick Group and co-founder of Leeds Rugby Limited), for services to sportMarissa Callaghan (Northern Ireland midfielder), for services to football and to the community in Northern IrelandSophie Capewell (Olympic cyclist), for services to cyclingAdrian Christy (chief executive officer, Table Tennis England), for services to table tennisStephen Clegg (Paralympic swimmer), for services to swimmingMike Cope (Ebbw Vale cricket and football club president), for services to sport, health and wellbeingJoe Corrigan (former Manchester City and England goalkeeper), for services to charitable fundraisingDimitri Coutya (Paralympic wheelchair fencer), for services to fencingEmily Craig (Olympic rower), for services to rowingAndrea Dobson (Sheffield Eagles Foundation Rugby development officer), for services to rugby leagueMark Downes (international team manager, Angling Trust), for services to anglingWilliam Ellard (Paralympic swimmer), for services to swimmingDave Ellis (Paralympic triathlete), for services to Para-triathlon
Emma Finucane (Olympic cyclist), for services to cyclingSabrina Fortune (Paralympic athlete), for services to athleticsFin Graham (Paralympic cyclist), for services to cyclingImogen Grant (Olympic rower), for services to rowingJodie Grinham (Paralympic archer), for services to archeryAlan Hansen (former footballer and broadcaster) for services to football and to broadcastingSandra Hardacre (athletics coach), for voluntary services to athletics in ScotlandLauren Henry (Olympic rower), for services to rowingKeely Hodgkinson (Olympic athlete), for services to athleticsJenny Holl (Paralympic cyclist), for services to cyclingKatarina Johnson-Thompson (Olympic heptathlete), for services to athleticsLizzi Jordan (Paralympic cyclist), for services to cyclingDanni Khan (Paralympic cyclist), for services to cyclingSusannah Levy (trustee, Women's Sport Trust), for services to diversity and inclusion in sportGeorge Lucas (chair of Sport Northern Ireland), for services to tennis and to sports management and administration in Northern IrelandNathan MacQueen (Paralympic archer), for services to archerySimon MacQueen (director of strategy, Sport England), for services to sportKaty Marchant (Olympic cyclist), for services to cyclingPoppy Maskill (Paralympic swimmer), for services to swimmingStephen McGuire (boccia player), for services to boccia and to young peopleGail Munro (Stranraer ice rink manager), for services to curlingStephen Neilson (chair of British Handball), for services to handballJohn Nixon (former trust chair of English Football League), for services to footballBryony Page (Olympic trampoline gymnast), for services to trampoline gymnasticsAlan Phillips (former team manager, Welsh Rugby Union), for services to rugby union and to charity in WalesLuke Pollard (Para-triathlete guide), for services to Para-triathlonDerek Prentice (Great British Luge Association honorary vice-president), for services to luge
David Rickman (rules official and Royal and Ancient Golf Club chief of staff), for services to golfHannah Scott (Olympic rower), for services to rowingGregg Stevenson (Paralympic rower), for services to rowingClaire Taggart (boccia player), for services to bocciaAmy Truesdale (Paralympic taekwondo athlete), for services to taekwondoSophie Unwin (Paralympic cyclist), for services to cyclingPenelope Watson (dementia campaigner), for services to dementia care in footballKen Weatherley (Tennis First co-founder and director), for services to young peopleRon Westerman (MidLincs County Youth Football League founder), for services to sportNicola Wilson (Wesko Equestrian Foundation coach and mentor), for services to sportPeter Worth (short track speed skating referee), for services to short track speed skatingAnthony Wynne (ex-president of Welsh Amateur Boxing Association), for services to amateur boxingBritish Empire Medal (BEM)Rachel Davies (coach and volunteer, Altrincham FC), for services to sportValerie French (breeze champion volunteer, British Cycling), for services to sport