Kenny Dalglish has refused to acknowledge his knighthood as a sole reflection of his own personal triumphs.
Instead, the Liverpool legend has rather characteristically hailed the honour as testament to those that have aided him throughout his illustrious life both on and off the pitch.
It was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list on Friday that the ‘King’ would be made ‘Sir’ in recognition of his service to football and the community.
No other figure in football is more deserving of such a prestigious accolade than a beacon of Liverpool’s history with the grace and humility to leave a lasting impression on those who wouldn’t even know who he was upon meeting him.
Speaking in response, Dalglish told Liverpoolfc.com: “The most important thing to stress is that this honour is not a reflection of myself.”
“It is a reflection of everyone who has played a part in my life and my career.”
“Nobody achieves anything alone, especially in football, and in my case any success I have enjoyed has been due to the contributions made by my family, the players, coaches and managers that I was fortunate enough to work with, and the supporters who backed me. This instance is no different.”
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A 13-year stretch at Liverpool saw Dalglish score 172 goals in 515 games and win six league titles, four League Cups, an FA Cup, three European Cups and a PFA Player of the Year award in the process.
His subsequent managerial career entailed three league titles with Liverpool an one during his time in charge of Blackburn Rovers.
Besides consolidating his place as an Anfield great, Dalglish has also been an active supporter of the families of the Hillsborough victims and a donator for improved cancer care across the city.
Liverpool paid special tribute to the Scot last October when owner John W Henry took the decision to rename Anfield’s Centenary Stand as the Kenny Dalglish Stand.
Documentary film ‘Kenny’ was also released in November in further recognition of his extraordinary contributions to football.