New Year Honours: Alex McLeish, Rob Wainwright and Stuart Hogg receive gongs for services to sport and charity
Alex McLeish, Stuart Hogg and Rob Wainwright are among the Scottish sportsmen who have been recognised in the New Year Honours.
Former Scotland, Rangers and Hibs manager McLeish has been honoured with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for outstanding contributions to football, sport and charity work.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe 64-year-old was part of the Aberdeen team that won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983 and won 77 caps for his country. As a club manager, McLeish won seven trophies including a treble for Rangers and took Birmingham City to promotion to the English Premier League as well as winning their first major trophy in the 2011 League Cup Final against Arsenal. He also had a near 70 per cent win rate over two spells as Scotland boss.
Away from his footballing achievements, McLeish’s commitment to charitable causes reflects his dedication to making a positive impact beyond the world of sports. His notable contribution to charities include raising over £200,000 for Crohn’s and Colitis UK, bringing awareness to debilitating conditions and symptoms, and also raising a significant amount of money for the Linn Moor/VSA specialist support school in Peterculter.
“I am hugely honoured and humbled to receive this OBE in recognition for my career in football and my charitable work,” said McLeish. “This is a proud moment for myself and my family and I’m grateful to the Honours Committee for this fantastic award.”
MND fundraiser Rob Wainwright has also received an OBE. Wainwright is the founder of the Doddie Aid event which raises funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Wainwright’s former Scotland rugby union team-mate Doddie Weir was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2016 and died in November last year. Wainwright said: “This is a tremendous honour, and it’s one I accept on behalf of the whole Doddie Aid community. Doddie was a force of nature, and I was very proud to call him a friend. Like everyone who he knew, who he inspired, I have been galvanised to do whatever I can to end MND.”
Another former Scotland star in Stuart Hogg was made an MBE for services to the sport. Scotland’s top try scorer made 100 appearances for the national side before retiring earlier this year, having played at two World Cups and British and Irish Lions tours.
The extraordinary charity work of Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow has also been recognised. Sinfield and Burrow, who were Leeds Rhinos team-mates during trophy-laden rugby league careers, have received CBEs for services to MND awareness. Sinfield has raised over £15million since his friend Burrow was diagnosed with MND, an incurable and life-limiting condition, in December 2019. Earlier this month Sinfield, 43, completed the ‘7 in 7 in 7’ challenge by completing seven ultramarathons in seven cities in as many days.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont’s knighthood has been upgraded to a Knight Grand Cross, while former England cricketer Stuart Broad receives a CBE. Marcus Trescothick, who played 76 Tests for England, will receive an OBE for services to mental ill health.
Millie Bright, Mary Earps and Lauren Hemp have also been honoured for their part in helping the Lionesses reach the World Cup final in the summer. Peter Shilton, who holds the England men’s team caps record with 125 appearances between 1970 and 1990, receives a CBE for services to football and gambling harm prevention. Howard Wilkinson, who managed Leeds to the First Division title in 1992 and briefly managed England in a caretaker capacity in 1999, has been made an OBE, as has Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham. Brighton chairman Tony Bloom receives an MBE and one of the sport’s best-loved broadcasters, former Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, was also made an MBE for services to sport, broadcasting and charity. BBC sports presenter Hazel Irvine will receive the same honour.