Liverpool and Scotland legend Graeme Souness was joined by his spouse Karen at Windsor Citadel right this moment as he obtained a CBE for providers to soccer and charity.
The tough-tackling midfielder made 358 appearances for the Reds in an period of dominance which noticed the facet carry 5 league titles and three European Cups.
The serial winner was among the many first to seek for new challenges in different international locations, making a high-profile transfer to Italian facet Sampdoria earlier than managing the likes of Galatasaray and Benfica.
He gained 54 caps for his nationwide workforce, sporting the captain’s armband 27 instances, earlier than embarking on a 20-year managerial profession. He has since grow to be one of the vital recognisable pundits and has raised greater than £1million for charity.
Mail Sport columnist Souness appeared on the King’s Birthday Honours checklist in June and the 71-year-old collected the celebrated award this morning.
Former Liverpool star Graeme Souness collected a CBE at Windsor Citadel with spouse Karen
MailSport’s Souness was given the honour for providers to soccer and charity
The tough-tackling midfielder lifted three European Cups with Liverpool together with in 1984
The footballing legend seemed delighted as he collected his CBE at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Citadel on Tuesday.
After he was first named as a recipient of the honour over the summer season, Souness thanked the workforce at DEBRA UK, a charity supporting individuals residing with uncommon pores and skin illness epidermolysis bullosa (EB).
He mentioned: ‘I’m delighted and humbled to obtain this honour.
‘It has been a life-changing few years working so intently with DEBRA UK as vice-president and none extra so than this final yr after I was a part of a terrific workforce, swimming the English Channel to boost important funds and consciousness for DEBRA UK and EB.
‘It’s great that the King has honoured me with a CBE and you will need to acknowledge the entire workforce which works tirelessly to seek out options to the insupportable ache, itch and irritation of this horrendous situation.
‘That is for my pal Isla [Grist, who has the disease] and everybody else residing with EB.’
Souness was born in Edinburgh in 1953 and grew up supporting Hearts and Rangers.
In 1968, he signed his first skilled contract below legendary Tottenham supervisor Invoice Nicholson however made only one substitute look in a difficult spell at White Hart Lane.
Souness (pictured, holding the league trophy) loved the glory days of his profession at Liverpool with fellow Scots Alan Hansen (centre) and Kenny Dalglish (proper)
Souness celebrating the opening objective of the European Cup closing towards Roma in 1984
As captain, Souness loved a profitable couple of seasons together with one other league title in 1984
He gained a popularity for his ability and competitiveness after a giant transfer from Middlesborough
A short mortgage spell at Canadian outfit Montreal Olympique in 1972 confirmed his urge for food for jetsetting from a younger age and the formidable transfer proved one thing of a breakthrough because the Scot earned a spot within the league’s All-Star workforce of the season.
This led to a £30,000 switch to Middlesborough in the identical yr and Souness quickly made a reputation for himself on Teeside as a aggressive and skilful centre-midfielder below the important thing influences of rookie supervisor Jack Charlton and fellow Scot Bobby Murdoch.
After six years at Boro, which noticed them get promoted to the First Division and end seventh in 1975-75, Souness moved to Liverpool for £350,000 and launched into the halcyon days of his profession, successful a glut of trophies in a six-year spell.
On arrival, he fashioned a Scottish trio with fellow new recruits Alan Hansen and Kenny Dalglish as Bob Paisley seemed to bolster his squad.
Only a few months into his stint at Anfield, Souness lifted the European Cup, along with his pinpoint cross to Dalglish offering the one objective within the closing towards FC Bruges at Wembley Stadium because the Reds retained the trophy.
Liverpool continued their period of dominance with Souness offering an imposing presence in midfield, lifting the First Division trophy within the subsequent two seasons earlier than successful the European Cup as soon as once more in 1981.
Their run to a 1-0 victory over Actual Madrid within the closing was depending on the Scot’s electrifying hat-trick within the quarter-final towards CSKA Sofia.
Paisley then handed Souness the captaincy in recognition for his management and positive performances in a transfer which triggered a long-term feud with earlier skipper Phil Thompson.
Souness then confirmed his need to department out becoming a member of England’s Trevor Francis at Sampdoria
He ended his profession as player-manager of Rangers (pictured, with Walter Smith in 1988)
He captained his nationwide workforce 27 instances and represented them at three World Cups (pictured, enjoying towards Wales in 1979)
He created one in every of soccer’s enduring photographs as he planted a Galatasaray flag within the pitch at Fenerbahce’s floor in 1996
He went on to handle a string of English sides together with Newcastle, who he left in 2006
Sporting the armband, Souness led the Reds to a double of the First Division and the League Cup in Paisley’s farewell season.
Within the following yr, the Reds went one higher and lifted one other European Cup to finish a memorable treble with Souness scoring a penalty within the successful shoot-out over Roma.
Arguably on the prime of his recreation, Souness shocked followers by becoming a member of England worldwide Trevor Francis at Sampdoria for a whopping £650,000 and helped the Italian facet to their first Coppa Italia of their historical past.
The British duo complemented nicely with an thrilling group of younger Italian stars together with Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli and Souness scored a key objective within the first leg of the ultimate.
On prime of his profitable and eventful membership profession, Souness featured in a Scotland facet experiencing one thing of a golden period with the facet qualifying for World Cups in 1978, 1982 and 1986.
The midfielder retired in 1991 whereas player-manager at Rangers after a combined spell on the membership which noticed his appearances restricted by damage and disciplinary points.
His managerial efficiency was barely extra profitable north of the border with Souness main his boyhood membership to a few Scottish League trophies and 4 League Cups.
The Scot additionally began the custom of getting an image of Queen Elizabeth II hung up within the membership’s dressing room.
Souness pictured on the BBC Sports activities Persona Of The Yr 2023 with Dalglish and Hansen
Souness pictured at Wimbledon along with his spouse Karen Souness in 2024
He’s recognized by many as an trustworthy and insightful pundit together with with Sky Sports activities who he left in 2023
Sadly, his dream job of managing Liverpool signalled a sea-change in English soccer with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man United taking up because the dominant drive within the recreation, with Souness solely lifting one FA Cup trophy in three years.
He additionally patrolled the dugout, along with his signature glare, at Galatasaray, Torino and Benfica.
In Turkey, he created one of many sport’s most iconic photographs when he planted his membership’s flag into the centre circle of the pitch of arch rivals Fenerbahçe after beating them within the Turkish Cup closing in 1996.
The motion appeared to duplicate that of Turkish hero Ulubatli Hasan, who was killed as he planted the Ottoman flag on the conlcusion of the Siege of Constantinople, main the supervisor to be nicknamed ‘Ulubatli Souness’.
His spell at Southampton the next yr was equally tumultuous with Souness famously falling foul of a hoax which claimed Senegalese participant Ali Dia was a star within the making and had come beneficial by Ballon d’Or winner George Weah.
The decision had been made by Dia’s pal and the signing might barely management the ball in his sole look after approaching for Saints legend Matt Le Tissier.
Souness adopted this up with a profitable stint at Blackburn, which noticed the facet carry the League Cup and end tenth and sixth with a proficient younger workforce, and a difficult spell at Newcastle, which completed with the membership needing to be saved from relegation.
A complete technology will bear in mind Souness as an abrasive and trustworthy Sky Sports activities pundit who rigidly gave his views on the sport for nearly 20 years till he departed in 2023. He continues to pen columns for Mail Sport.
He has raised just lately cash for DEBRA UK which helps these with epidermolysis bullosa
Souness was additionally recognised for his charitable endeavours and he swam the Channel final yr for DEBRA UK
The star’s Channel swim raised greater than £1m for the EB charity in 2023
His CBE can also be recognition for his intensive charitable work, notably for DEBRA, and he swam the Channel in June 2023 and raised £1m for the organisation.
Souness describes EB because the ‘cruellest illness on the market’ and his involvement within the charity was triggered after assembly 16-year-old Isla.
After his swim, he mentioned: ‘From the time I’ve spent with Isla and her household, I’ve seen first-hand the intense ache this devastating situation causes and the each day challenges it creates.
‘I wished to do one thing that might make a distinction to Isla’s life and to the lives of so many others residing with EB, and the marginally loopy concept of swimming the English Channel was recommended.’
