Chris Kamara among football stars receiving honours at Windsor Castle

Chris Kamara, one of football’s most popular figures, will receive an honour at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.

The 65-year-old, known for his catchphrase “Unbelievable Jeff”, played for nine English professional clubs in a career spanning 20 years before going on to manage Bradford and Stoke.

In more recent years he became best known for his work as a pundit and presenter on Sky Sports.

Kamara is being made an MBE for services to Association Football, to anti-racism and to charity.

ITV Palooza 2019 – London
Chris Kamara arriving for the ITV Palooza held at the Royal Festival Hall in 2019 (Ian West/PA)

A documentary called Lost For Words about Kamara coming to terms with the condition was broadcast in December.

Kamara, who also presented Sky’s Goals On Sunday programme, is well known to non-football lovers as a co-presenter of ITV’s Ninja Warrior show.

Born in Middlesbrough of Sierra Leonean, English and Irish descent, Kamara served in the navy before joining Portsmouth for the first of two spells.

Chris Kamara commentating as Eni Aluko plays for Pevensey and Westham FC
Since retiring from football, Chris Kamara has become best known for his work as a pundit and presenter on Sky Sports (Steven Paston/PA)

Another football star in line for honours is James Milner, who is being made an MBE for services to Association Football and to charity.

The Liverpool midfielder has spent two decades in the Premier League.

Mike Summerbee, star of the Manchester City side of the 1960s and 70s, will be made an OBE for services to Association Football and to charity.

Chris Kamara during the Spa Mid Wales League match at Maes y Dre Recreation Ground, Welshpool
Chris Kamara during the Spa Mid Wales League match at Maes y Dre Recreation Ground, Welshpool (Gary Prior/PA)

Chelsea midfielder Ingle has more than 100 international appearances to her name, and was part of the Great Britain squad at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Meanwhile, abortion reform campaigner Sarah Ewart will be made an OBE for services to abortion legal reform in Northern Ireland.

Ms Ewart pressed for the liberalisation of Northern Ireland’s strict abortion laws after being denied a termination in the region following a diagnosis that her unborn child would die in the womb or shortly after birth.

Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, will be made an OBE for services to literature.

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