Knighthoods

[Miki]

Because his Mother gave her husband a "Baronetcy", the aim of this no doubt to make sure her son become Sir Mark, I got to thinking about one of this country's greatest, nay our greatest ever jockey, Lester Piggott and his denial of a rightful reward.

He was, say so, denied a knighthood, due to his jail sentence and tax evasion, now cleared.

Yes, I am aware of the rules that govern knighthoods but this can be overturned. When I think of how knighthoods are given out "by favour" and from someone who is not entirely for awards of this nature, if they are to be awarded, then let this great sportsman take his rightful place in Lordship history.

Oh, and at the same time let's not forget our greatest ever goalscorer, "Rise Sir Jimmy",  sounds good eh

[Dick Smith]

Didn't Lester have an OBE which he had to send back?

Trouble with Greavsie (is he Jimmy or Jimmie?) is that his little problem of a few years back would be held against him, and now he is so 'out of the public eye' that there would be no public wow factor. It does seem a little unfair - especially as his mate has been sainted. Also as so many contemporaries were honoured because of the 1966 business.

You can always suggest him for one (but a petition wouldn't be the thing, old chap) by contacting the Honours Secretary at No 10. If you want the address etc. I'll find out.

[Miki]

[quote]Didn't Lester have an OBE which he had to send back?Trouble with Greavsie (is he Jimmy or Jimmie?) is that his little problem of a few years back would be held against him, and now he is so 'out of th...[/quote]

Dick,

Yes he certainly was stripped of his OBE due to his problem. I bet we could all name some, Sirs, Lords and Ladies who should have their titles annulled for various reasons but the ladies favourite and the horse race goers dream jockey (only Sir Gordon possibly knew how to ride better) is long overdue his rightful title.

One by one, some of the World Cup squad have been knighted but the one person, who was not only a great part of Sir Alfs team but known by many, to be Englands greatest ever goalscorer of the team surely deserves the top accolade he can recieve, Yes he had a drink problem but if that was a criteria, then the house of Lords should have been disbanded centuries ago

It's Jimmy by the way.

[Dick Smith]

I might, from a red and white perspective, mention Brian Clough... (though he does have an OBE). Murray Walker has an OBE but George Cohen doesn't. There seems to be very little rhyme or reason, other than a recent televised success (the England rugby team) or retirement (Murray Walker?).

And look at the way gongs are dished out to civil servants for doing their jobs! Don't get me started.

Perhaps there should be some published criteria, and not just 'can't have one because of a working-class accent (unless you are a school crossing lady)'.

[Dick Smith]

[quote]Hello I do not know what all the hoo ha about Sir Mark thatcher is about. He seems to have been pilloried for financing the replacment of one darky despot with another and collecting a bit of dosh i...[/quote]

No I don't. But then I'm not a racist. Or a troll.

[Miki]

I might, from a red and white perspective, mention Brian Clough... (though he does have an OBE). Murray Walker has an OBE but George Cohen doesn't. There seems to be very little rhyme or reason, other than a recent televised success (the England rugby team) or retirement (Murray Walker?).

Agree with you about Cloughie, I think he deserves it and of course George should get as equal a billing as the rest of the boys of 66.

Murray is certainly the voice (or rather was) of Grand Prix (amongst other things) and has brought pleasure in to millions of homes, yep, certainly another candidate.

[Weedon]

[quote]I might, from a red and white perspective, mention Brian Clough... (though he does have an OBE). Murray Walker has an OBE but George Cohen doesn't. There seems to be very little rhyme or reason, other...[/quote]

Apart from being the son of an excellent bike racer the only claim to fame Murray Walker has is being able to talk semi-fluently about motor racing which is perhaps why he got an OBE (other b+++++s efforts) and not an MBE (my b++++y effort).

Another overrated gong receiver (in my view) was Henry Cooper known most famously for landing one punch on the then Cassius Clay. Nice man I agree but no great shakes as a world class boxer.

Imho a much more deserving case for anything he wants (MBE-OBE-MFI) is that young lad boxing at the Olympics in our one man team Amir Khan (sp).

Weedon (53)

[Dick Smith]

I think Amir Khan might have to wait a bit - he is only 17! However, after the blanket gongs for the rugby team perhaps we'll see all gold medallists honoured. That would be popular (for about 5 minutes).

[Miki]

For sure, in the years head we shall see Dame Kelly and why not I say.

 

[Dick Smith]

And she seems such a nice person, too. Thoroughly deserves it as a career-achievement honour.

[RobS]

[quote]I might, from a red and white perspective, mention Brian Clough... (though he does have an OBE). Murray Walker has an OBE but George Cohen doesn't. There seems to be very little rhyme or reason, other...[/quote]

Dick,

Is it only George Cohen from the '66 World Cup winning team or are there more who haven't been given a honour? Considering the rush to give the rugby players gongs after their (more limited) success, I think it is about time the record was put straight.

 

[Dick Smith]

All of the players who played in the final have been honoured (including George Cohen) but most as late as 2000, when several who had not been honoured were given MBEs. The list I was looking at predated that. The honours are widely varied, and some were given for other activities:

Gordon Banks – OBE 1972

George Cohen – MBE 2000

Ray Wilson – MBE when? 2000?

Nobby Stiles – OBE 2000

Jackie Charlton – OBE when?

Sir Robert Moore – Knighthood

Roger Hunt – MBE 2000

Alan Ball – MBE 2000

Sir Robert Charlton - Knighthood

Geoff Hurst – MBE 1998

Martin Peters – MBE when?

Why some are OBEs and others are MBEs I couldn't say.

[Grobbo]

Miki,

I have a suggestion that I know you,ll agree with.

Sir ****ne Wenger ( it is ****nal you support isn,t it?).

[Miki]

[quote]Miki, I have a suggestion that I know you,ll agree with. Sir ****ne Wenger ( it is ****nal you support isn,t it?).[/quote]

Isn't he a b----y foreigner in a part of London that is in a manor I am not familiar with.........

Support the Ar Ar s  A r se A r s e n oooooohhhhh I have come over all malade like................I think I shall dig out the video of the European Cup match last season to help me recover

 

[Grobbo]

Miki,

Apologies!

I thought you supported the CHAMPIONS!

Still,you can dream.

[Miki]

[quote]Miki, Apologies! I thought you supported the CHAMPIONS! Still,you can dream.[/quote]

Strange posting !

On the strength of your thoughts fans must only support champions, that's under 11 schoolboy stuff.

No, I will stick with the beloved blues I kinda got a long history with 'em and when the dream happens, get outa town double vite pal !!

[SaligoBay]

[quote]No I don't. But then I'm not a racist. Or a troll.[/quote]

Be careful what you say, Dick.  Trolls still exist in Iceland, you know.

But Dunrunnin has a point.  Watch out for email scams now, from impoverished son of crazed ex-leader of small island off the coast of France.  His claim to his rightful inheritance (enormous beyond the dreams of avarice, bien sur) will depend on you filling a bank vault full of coin of the realm and sending him the secret access code.  He will have chosen you specially, after seeing an article about you in a "Radical Wales" magazine.   

[Grobbo]

[quote]Strange posting ! On the strength of your thoughts fans must only support champions, that's under 11 schoolboy stuff. No, I will stick with the beloved blues I kinda got a long history with 'em and...[/quote]

Miki,

Talking of strange postings - I never said fans should only support champions.

I suggested you may dream of the day your boys become champs.Nothing wrong with dreaming is there?

[Miki]

Nothing wrong with dreaming is there?

Absolutely nothing at all.

I have met so many players through soccer, too many to mention, it would make your poor head spin. Great game, great memories, dreams...................from the era of Jimmy to Zola, too many to mention, have already come true.

[Miki]

Trolls still exist in Iceland, you know.

Too right SB and now they are on offer, buy one get one free  but never thought to get any as the taste is not to my liking.

[Tresco]

[quote]Hello I do not know what all the hoo ha about Sir Mark thatcher is about. He seems to have been pilloried for financing the replacment of one darky despot with another and collecting a bit of dosh i...[/quote]

The 'smiley emoticon hasn't appeared in the quote, but this is an example of what I really hate about the way some people (like you, dunrunnin, in this case), use them. It isn't OK to just tag  a 'smiley' on to the end of what is really a very offensive comment, and think the 'smiley' makes it ok.

 

 

 

[Dick Smith]

[quote]Be careful what you say, Dick. Trolls still exist in Iceland, you know. But Dunrunnin has a point. Watch out for email scams now, from impoverished son of crazed ex-leader of small island off the c...[/quote]

Ho ho - I get up to 100 junk emails a day - but Entourage is very efficient. I sometimes reply, using a hoaxing hotmail account. Usually to the ones who claim religious reasons for ripping me off...

And Trolls are Norwegian, as far as I know, like my grandad Oskar.

[Tresco]

[quote]All of the players who played in the final have been honoured (including George Cohen) but most as late as 2000, when several who had not been honoured were given MBEs. The list I was looking at preda...[/quote]

I think this is the team that won played in the final isn't it, so fair enough, but wasn't Greaves in the squad, played loads of games, then replaced by Hurst in the final due to injury?  I hope someone will correct me if wrong.

I bet there are loads of alcoholics in other fields with these prestigious awards, perhaps we just don't get to hear so much about, scientists, for instance, and perhaps it's just that  we judge athletes differently to achievers in other fields. Churchill said, 'always remember that I have taken far more out of alcohol, that alcohol has taken out of me'.  

Jimmy Greaves should be honoured.

ps still not got the hang of this qoutes thing- I highlighted the list Dick kindly gave, and look what came up. What am I doing wrong?

[Dick Smith]

I think the point is that you don't hear about it so much - with sports people and showbizzers the faults are made public because of their fame, and they are then turned down as a bad example. I suspect.

I agree about Jimmy Greaves. However - if he had been offered an honour and turned it down you would never know about it.

As for the quotes thing - I'm still trying to get it work. I have tried highlighting the part I want to quote before I click on the 'quote' button, but you still only get 2 lines.

And I can't seem to modify text in messages (italics etc.)

[RobS]

[quote]I think this is the team that won played in the final isn't it, so fair enough, but wasn't Greaves in the squad, played loads of games, then replaced by Hurst in the final due to injury? I hope someo...[/quote]

I think he was dropped after the group games, rather than injured.

Miki,

do you think Jimmy would have been quite so good in the modern game? I only saw him a few times in the 60's, as the Villa were in lower divisions than Spurs at that time. I don't recall him being particularly quick or over skillful, but as having a predatory goalscorers touch in the box. Who would you liken him to today?