New Year Honours: Middlesbrough’s Chris Kamara made MBE

Former footballer and broadcaster Chris Kamara has said becoming an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours was “surreal”.

The 65-year-old former Middlesbrough player received the honour for services to football, anti-racism and charity.

He said he was a “big lover” of the Royal Family and he would “try to embrace” his appointment to the order.

Kamara, popularly known as Kammy, also said Lioness and fellow North East football legend Beth Mead being made an MBE was “great news”.

The BBC Sounds podcast host and former Portsmouth, Swindon, Brentford, Stoke, Leeds and Luton player said he was “really proud” to have been recognised for three categories.

“I’ve always thought that if I was ever in a position to make a difference, then I would try my best,” he said.

He told BBC Radio Tees he had been involved in raising more than £3m for various charities down the years, including Show Racism the Red Card.

“I don’t think racism will be eradicated within my lifetime but I do know, from the young kid who started off in Middlesbrough where people would say these horrible words to you, it’s come a long way – but there’s work to be done,” he said.

On receiving the news of his honour, he said: “When my wife printed off the email and sat the family around, they said they didn’t expect my response.

“I was just taking it in and thinking: ‘Did I deserve this? Are there better people than me out there more deserving?’.

“All these things go through your mind. They told me to stop being silly. To enjoy it and embrace it.”

He said he wanted to thank the people of Teesside for their support over the years which he described as “nothing short of unbelievable”.

And the former Bradford City and Stoke City manager said it was “great news” that Beth Mead was also honoured.

The Hinderwell footballer, who started her youth career at Middlesbrough, is one several members of the victorious England Lionesses squad to be recognised.

England captain Leah Williamson has been made an OBE and teammate Ellen White becomes an MBE as well after they won England’s first major football trophy since the men’s 1966 World Cup.

Asked why not all the Lionesses were included, Sir Hugh Robertson, chairman of the honours sports committee, said there was a danger of “carpet bombing the entire squad because then you get people who’ve done five minutes on the pitch and get an award”.

Companions of the Order of the Bath

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

British Empire Medal (BEM)