Chris Kamara among those being honoured today
The legendary ex-footballer and pundit is to receive an MBE at Windsor Castle
Last updated 7th Mar 2023
One of football's most popular figures, Chris Kamara, will receive an honour at Windsor Castle today.
The 65-year-old, known for his catchphrase "Unbelievable Jeff", played for nine English professional clubs, in a career spanning 20 years before going on to manage Bradford and Stoke.
In more recent years, he's become best known for his work as a pundit and presenter on Sky Sports.
Kamara is being made an MBE for services to Association Football, to anti-racism and to charity.
There was a huge outpouring of support for Kamara on social media when he went public about his apraxia of speech (AOS) diagnosis, saying he felt "a fraud" as a broadcaster having learned he had the condition.
A documentary called Lost For Words about Kamara coming to terms with the condition was broadcast in December.
Born in Middlesbrough of Sierra Leonean, English and Irish descent, Kamara served in the navy before joining Portsmouth for the first of two spells.
He played over 200 games across two stints at Swindon, and also played for Brentford, Stoke, Leeds, Luton, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Bradford.
Other recipients:
Another football star in line for honours is James Milner, who is being made an MBE for services to Association Football and to charity.
The Liverpool midfielder has spent two decades in the Premier League.
Star of the Manchester City side of the 1960s and 70s, Mike Summerbee, will be made an OBE for services to Association Football and to charity.
Captain of the Wales women's football team, Sophie Ingle, will be made an OBE for services to Association Football.
Chelsea midfielder, Ingle, has more than 100 international appearances to her name, and was part of the Great Britain squad at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Meanwhile, abortion reform campaigner, Sarah Ewart, will be made an OBE for services to abortion legal reform in Northern Ireland.
Ms Ewart pressed for the liberalisation of Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws, after being denied a termination in the region following a diagnosis that her unborn child would die in the womb or shortly after birth.
Author of Chocolat, Joanne Harris, will be made an OBE for services to literature.