Footballers John Charles and Alan Shearer have been honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

They are joined by commentator John Motson, who is celebrating 30 years with BBC Television.

Charles, 69, who was once described as "the best centre-half in the world, as well as the best centre-forward" is appointed a CBE.

He was capped 38 times for Wales, for whom he scored 15 goals.

He made 297 appearances for Leeds United between 1949 and 1956, scoring 150 goals.

In 1956, he was transferred to Juventus for a British record of �65,000.

And there are OBEs for Shearer and Motson.

Shearer honour

Former England captain Alan Shearer, 30, has been one of the most prolific Premiership and international goalscorers.

The Newcastle United striker has been dogged with a knee injury which kept him out of the game for weeks on end last season.

In 1996, he became the first player to reach 100 goals in the Premiership.

In that year, too, he won the Golden Boot as top scorer in Euro 96, netting five times.

He quit the international game at the end of Euro 2000, after his goal had clinched a famous victory over England's arch rivals, Germany.

After he had made his name at Southampton, his move from Blackburn to his home-town club Newcastle in 1996 set a British transfer record of �15m.

Dulcet tones

John Motson, the `Voice of Football' for more than a quarter of a century, burst into the viewers' consciousness on Match of the Day while describing Hereford's epic FA Cup victory over Newcastle back in 1973.

Since then he has commentated on more than 1,600 games, including seven World Cups.

He became famous for his sheepskin coat, a mind full of trivial facts and lines such as the "The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club" which is how he described Wimbledon's shock victory over Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final.