In the New Year honours list sport was once again rightly recognised - with just a nod in the direction of royalty. When the MBEs have been handed out, many of us will wonder whether it’s all been worthwhile.

At Buckingham Palace they’ll be cracking open the bubbly for the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, who was given the accolade of MBE for her equestrianism achievements. The glamorous girlfriend of England rugby star Mike Tindall will have partied the New Year in with all the style of a royal princess. There was a time when the New Year’s honours list would only reward those who were born in the right hospital. In the old days, MBEs and OBEs were dished out to dotty colonels or bad-boy cabinet ministers. Among the great and good were dukes, duchesses, earls and lords, not forgetting, of course, Lady Muck from Peckham.

To some extent these distinguished members of the nobility are still showered with medals. But for sport and the worlds of show business these are golden days. Postmen and milkmen will also have their unsung day in the sun but for Zara Phillips, Gareth Edwards and Steven Gerrard these awards are prize possessions. David Murray, the high-profile Rangers chairman, was knighted and David Davies, former FA head honcho was awarded the OBE but for Edwards and Gerrard, these were days to tell their grandchildren about.

Edwards was the finest and best scrum-half  Welsh rugby ever produced. Part of that famous all singing, all dancing team which included Barry John, Phil Bennett and JPR Williams. Welsh rugby has rarely had it so good and when Edwards was in his pomp, nobody could stop him. Edwards seemed like a human tornado ripping a path to opposing try lines or flying past players with a clean and nimble pair of heels. But apart from anything else he was, and still is in retirement, a red-hot patriot who never failed his country.

Gerrard has also given the traditional blood, sweat and tears for both Liverpool and England. In the dying moments of the 2006 FA Cup Final, it was he who once again came to Liverpool’s rescue. Picking up the ball outside the penalty area, he smashed a stunning drive past West Ham keeper Shaka Hislop. And at the end of extra time Gerrard stepped up to take one of the winning penalties which won the Cup for Liverpool.

Gerrard has been acknowledged in the New Year’s Honours because once he pulls on either an England or Liverpool shirt,  the sport gives him absolute job satisfaction.

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