Former England boss Gareth Southgate knighted in New Year Honours
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Then England manager Gareth Southgate reacting during the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain in July. He has been knighted in the New Year Honours.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Former England manager Gareth Southgate has been knighted in the New Year Honours.
He earned the award after a largely successful spell in charge of England from 2016 to 2024.
The 54-year-old led England to two consecutive European Championship finals, but came up short as they were beaten by Italy on penalties in 2021 and lost to Spain in this year’s showpiece.
England also reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals before losing to Croatia and were eliminated by eventual finalists France in the 2022 quarter-finals.
Southgate, who quit shortly after the Euro 2024 final in July, becomes the fourth former England manager to receive a knighthood, following in the footsteps of 1966 World Cup-winning handler Alf Ramsey, Walter Winterbottom and Bobby Robson.
Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has been hired to succeed Southgate, who has hinted he may not return to management.
The German will officially start his job on Jan 1 as England begin their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Gerald Davies, the former Wales and British and Irish Lions wing who subsequently served as president of the Welsh Rugby Union, has also been knighted for services to his sport and for voluntary and charitable service in Wales.
Davies played for Wales between 1966 and 1978 in their golden era and won three Grand Slams.
He toured with the Lions in 1968 and 1971, making five appearances.
The 1971 tour was both a personal and team highlight as it is the only time the Lions have beaten New Zealand in a series, and he scored all three of his Lions’ Test tries.
“I feel very emotional about it. I am surprised by it. Words are really quite inadequate to describe it,” the 79-year-old said.
Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson becomes a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
The 22-year-old’s triumph in Paris earlier in 2024 made her just the third British woman to claim the Olympic 800 metres title, after Ann Packer in 1964 and Kelly Holmes in 2004.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who won her first Olympic medal with heptathlon silver in Paris, and three-time medallist Dina Asher-Smith are also made MBEs.
Nine-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Alan Hansen, a former Liverpool defender and long-time television pundit, has been given an MBE for services to football and broadcasting. AFP
