Arise Sir Kenny Dalglish

Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish has told of his pride at being knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours, following his steadfast support for the Hillsborough families in their lengthy quest for justice.

The former player, manager and tireless charity campaigner said he was "hugely proud to have accepted the accolade'' for services to football, charity and the City of Liverpool

The 67-year-old managed Liverpool at the time of the Hillsborough disaster

He and his wife Marina have also helped raise millions of pounds for cancer treatment through the Marina Dalglish Appeal after she successfully battled breast cancer.

Joking that he thought the letter informing him of the knighthood had been from the taxman, he added of the achievement: "We only set out to do the best we possibly could, even through all the other stuff - the charity or Hillsborough, it was to help people because somebody helped us."

"When I was a young boy in Glasgow I wouldn't have had the words to give it due testimony but we are hugely proud to have got this and for the people who have worked so hard to get here."

"I don't know how you compare it with anything. I've had nothing to compare it against."

"As a parent myself if one of my kids went that far you would be hugely proud of them, wouldn't you?"

"Your parents are the ones who set you off in the world. They put you in the right direction or the wrong direction."

"Thankfully for myself and Marina we got pushed in the right direction. We met great people from then on in and it doesn't do you any harm when you meet good people."

In all his achievements he lists the 1989 all-Merseyside FA Cup final, which Liverpool won 3-1, as his most memorable moment.

"Whether it is football, charity, Hillsborough or whatever. We wanted to help people that needed a bit of help at the time,'' said Dalglish.

"It's not for me to decide what I do deserve and what I don't deserve."

"Somebody must have thought it (knighthood nomination) was worthwhile and for that you're grateful.''

Having quit football in 1991 there was still one fairytale left as he returned to management with then second-tier Blackburn, guiding them to a dramatic last-day Premier League title win in 1995.

A stint at Newcastle was followed by emotional returns to former clubs Celtic and Liverpool and even though he could not replicate the success second time around, he remains revered at both clubs.

"`We've been lucky that we've come across an awful lot of great people that have done very well,'' he said.

"Everybody who has played a part is deserving of us showing them some gratitude and we do show everybody respect and thanks for what they did for us in the past.''

The King now awaits an audience with the Queen