BBC SPORT | Football | Queen honours Sir Bobby

Sir Bobby, 69, joins England World Cup heroes Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst as well as Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as a football knight.

Robson said: "I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to receive this honour from Her Majesty The Queen in her Golden Jubilee year.

Good Knight Bobby

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"This is a recognition not only of my career, but of the wonderful people in the world of football with whom I have worked for more than 50 years.

"It comes on a day when our minds are focused on our national team and I wish them the very best of luck for the remainder of the tournament."

Current England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson expressed his admiration for Robson, who he first met more than 20 years ago when the Swede travelled to England to observe the then Ipswich Town manager's coaching style.

Newcastle manager Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson said he was "thrilled" to be honoured

Eriksson said: "I'm delighted for him. Congratulations to him. If there is one person who deserves this then it's Bobby Robson.

"I have always admired him."

Former Celtic captain Tommy Boyd is another star of football honoured by the Queen, receiving an MBE for services to the game.

Glaswegian-born Boyd began his 18 year career in football at Motherwell in 1983 and made his Scotland debut in 1991 against Romania.

After a brief spell at Chelsea, Boyd moved to Celtic in 1992 where he has spent 10 successful years, culminating in the treble triumph of the 2000-01 season.

The defender celebrated his testimonial the same year with a game against Manchester United and is currently contemplating a new one-year deal at Parkhead.

One name on the Queen's Birthday Honours list that may be less well known to football fans is David Will, vice president of Fifa's executive committee.

Will has become synonymous with honesty and integrity in world football after joining Fifa from the Scottish Football Association in 1990.

As head of the audit committee designed to investigate the finances of the world governing body, Will recently went head-to-head with one of the most powerful men in football - Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

Will was selected by the four home nations to join the Fifa executive committee 12 years ago.

England manager Hope Powell
Powell is the youngest person ever to coach the national side

Support for the Scottish lawyer is so strong that after his offer to step down as vice-president last month, all four home nations insisted he stay.

His CBE is merely further recognition that honesty and integrity are sometimes still rewarded.

Hope Powell, coach of the England women's football team, has been awarded an OBE.

Powell played 66 times for her country, scoring 35 goals and also helped her club side Croydon to three FA Cups, including a league and cup double in 1996.

In 1998, Powell at 35-years-old became the youngest person ever to coach the national side and subsequently led the team to the European Championship finals in Germany.

Later this summer they play Iceland in the first of a series of play-offs which they hope will lead to World Cup glory in China next year.


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