New Year honour for Gerrard
30 Dec 2006 - 12:46:51
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been honoured with an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours list for his services to football.
The England midfielder led the Anfield club to a Champions League and FA Cup double in the space of 12 months - scoring vital goals in both finals.
After Liverpool's dramatic fightback to snatch the Champions League crown from under the noses of AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005, Gerrard was originally snubbed in the Honours list which led to a public outcry from Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry.
But after receiving the honour this year, Gerrard paid tribute to those who have helped shape his career.
"I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive this recognition for playing a game I've loved all my life," he told the club's official website.
"I'd like to accept this on behalf of all those people who have been so supportive to me throughout my career, all my team-mates over the years, everyone at Liverpool, everyone at Team England, all my family and friends and all those coaches who have helped me since I was eight years old."