SIR Kenny Dalglish said he was “humbled” to receive his knighthood from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace yesterday.
The Scottish football legend and former Celtic star was given the honour for services to the game, charity and the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, having been manager of Liverpool when tragedy struck the club in 1989.
Speaking about becoming a sir, Dalglish said: “You feel humble. When you start off in your life, what do you want? You just want to play football. And when you play football, what do you want to do? You want to try and be successful, be a professional footballer, try to win something.”
Asked about highlights from his career, Dalglish replied: “When you look back every night you’ve had a game and you’ve won it’s a magical night, the only ones that aren’t magical are the ones that you’ve lost.
“I’ve been very fortunate with the people I’ve worked with in football, both as a player and a manager, they’ve been fantastic people.
“And the two football clubs I’ve played, for Celtic and Liverpool – the two most successful clubs of the era I was playing in – I’ve been fortunate as well, you always need a bit of luck to get a bit of success.”
The former striker and his wife Marina were Liverpool’s public face as a whole city mourned following Hillsborough, when a crush before an FA Cup final claimed the lives of 96 fans. They provided support and comfort for grieving families and on one day alone attended four funerals.
Lady Dalglish said she was “proud” of her husband’s achievement, and paid tribute to the Hillsborough families: “I think when you look back it was an honour and a privilege for us share that time with them. We still know lots of them and we still keep in touch.”
The knighthood also recognised the work of the Marina Dalglish Appeal, set-up by the Dalglish family in 2005 after Lady Dalglish was successfully treated for breast cancer.
The couple were joined at the palace by their four grown-up children – Kelly, Lynsey, Lauren and Paul.
Dalglish joked he would not insist on being called sir, and that “Kenny” was fine.
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