
Victoria Beckham says she ‘could not be prouder' of David Beckham's knighthood
He married Lady Beckham, also known as Posh Spice, in 1999 and the pair share four children together, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
In a post shared on Saturday on Instagram, Lady Beckham said: 'You've always been my knight in shining armour, but now it's official. Sir @davidbeckham!!!
'What an honour, I couldn't be prouder of you. Your dedication to the things that matter most — your country, your work, your passion, and most of all, your family — has never wavered.
'The way you've touched so many lives over the years with kindness and humility speaks volumes about the man you are and continues to inspire us everyday.
'But above all else, I'm so, so proud to call you mine. I love you so much xxxx.'
The football star, who was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, responded to the post by expressing his love for his family, mentioning each of his children and adding 'I love you all'.
Sir David first made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals.
David and Victoria Beckham at King Charles's Gloucestershire estate, Highgrove House in Tetbury, Gloucestershire (Finnbarr Webster/PA)
In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013.
Alongside his footballing career, the sports star is also a supporter of a number of charity causes including being a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council.
Sir David was also named as an ambassador last year for the King's Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990 and has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005.
In a statement to the PA News Agency, Sir David said: 'Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour.
David Beckham who has been made a Knight Bachelor in the King's Birthday Honours list for services to sport and charity (Toby Melville/PA)
'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true.
'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation.
'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment.
'It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.'
The businessman is also the co-founder of Studio99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series, Beckham, and is a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami.
He is also known for his fashion and was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine in 1998, has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss, and was appointed ambassadorial president of the British Fashion Council (BFC) in 2018 where he assisted in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds.
Sir David is not the only fashion star in the family, with his wife Lady Beckham launching an eponymous fashion label in 2008 followed by a beauty brand in 2019.
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The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
James Milner to wear number 20 at Brighton in memory of Diogo Jota
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The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘It's a lonely job': Neil Warnock on management, Guardiola and his ire for Ferguson
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I can tell you now the linesman was Ed Smart and Craig Pawson refereeing. I can see it as if it were yesterday. I'll be looking at that on my grave. 'I told the referee and linesman: 'I wish you could come in my dressing room and see the desolation because you didn't do your jobs right.' We didn't deserve to go down that year.' Warnock was fined £20,000 for complaining about the officiating but now his attention reverts to Guardiola. 'I noticed how much he was having to bite his tongue when you looked at the goals City conceded towards the end of last season. It wasn't anything tactical. They were just bad mistakes. I knew it hurt him but he's got the bit between his teeth again now. I'm going to be interested in seeing how they go this season because they'll be a threat. Liverpool have spent all that money and Arsenal are spending as well, but Pep's signed two or three good players. He's the best manager since I've been around and I think he'll prove it again.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion When I ask Warnock for the top three managers he has faced, he responds with just two names. 'I'd say Pep one and Arsène Wenger two because he changed the whole concept of football. Oh my God, his intelligence.' Warnock and Wenger also had an unlikely bromance. 'He liked me and he respected me. It was said that Wenger never had any managers in his office after a game but he always invited me. On one occasion I even took my kids in and we had a picture in his office.' He frowns when I suggest it's strange Ferguson has not been added to his top three. 'I'd have to put Fergie in,' he says grudgingly. 'But I'd have Pep and Arsène before him.' Warnock once spoke warmly of Ferguson and how the Scot would write to him encouragingly after every promotion and relegation. But his attitude has hardened now. 'I don't really want to talk about him because I've not got anything good to say.' Is that because Ferguson played a weakened Manchester United side against West Ham in the final game of the season in 2007? 'Absolutely. Unforgivable, in my eyes. Same with [Liverpool's] Rafa Benítez. He played the kids at Fulham that same year.' The pain for Warnock was intensified because Sheffield United, his boyhood team, were relegated after they lost at home to Wigan and West Ham stayed up after beating United by a solitary goal scored by Carlos Tevez, whose registration was thought to be ineligible by Warnock and many others. Has he spoken to Ferguson since that disastrous day? 'No,' Warnock says with icy finality. He is happier discussing another managerial icon in Clough. 'I was at Notts County [between 1989 and 1993] and Cloughie used to walk past our little training ground to get to their 10 acres where they had a fantastic training facility. 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But they gave me an award this year at the Football League, for my contribution to the EFL.' Warnock sinks back in his chair and smiles: 'I thought: 'Bloody hell. It's about time!'' Neil Warnock: Are You With Me? is at Opera House, Manchester on 29 August, London Palladium on 18 September and Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol on 28 September. Tickets at


The Review Geek
17 minutes ago
- The Review Geek
Built In Birmingham: Brady & The Blues Review
Season 1 Episode Guide No Fear Turn the Page Joys & Sorrows This will be Bananaland Keep Right On While Premier League football gets a lot of the plaudits when it comes to the moniker of 'best league in the world', few outside of the footballing sphere realize just how competitive and cutthroat the lower leagues actually are. Nowhere else is that more evident than in Prime Video's latest docuseries, Built In Birmingham: Brady & The Blues. Taking over Birmingham City FC, Tom Wagner from Knighthead Capital Management (a US-based investment firm), pumped millions into rejuvenating the football club, determined to create a culture of winning from a team seemingly content with Championship mediocrity and phantom pregnancies (the analogy makes sense in the documentary, don't worry!) Taking a leaf out of Wrexham's book, Wagner isn't the sole focus here as Tom Brady, the former NFL star, purchased a 3.3% stake of the club. You'd never know it from this docu-series though, as Tom Brady is largely placed front and center at every opportunity. When he speaks, he compares a lot of his own ups and downs with that of Birmingham City's fortunes. Along with fly on the wall footage of him arriving at training sessions, watching games from the stands (and eventually on his iPad back home later on) and random segments of him around Birmingham, we also see him discussing the club's culture. Amusingly, the two make a huge mistake early on in appointing Wayne Rooney in charge of the club, a man who has a reputation of failing at every single football club he's managed. The five episodes focus on Birmingham City's rebirth though, starting with its relegation and crash-out into League 1 (thanks Rooney) before the eventual resurgence and record-breaking year, helped of course by Wagner splashing the cash and bringing in top talent to get the team out of the dregs of League 1. It's not all smooth sailing though, and after episode 1, the documentary works its way through the season's hiccups and issues. Cameras showcase key team talks both at half-time and the full-time whistle, along with following key team members and managers as they try to navigate this new world order. There's also a rather bizarre inclusion of Peaky Blinders quotes and famous scenes (get it? Because it's a Brummie-based drama?) that don't really add much to the show other than remind us of where we are. I'm genuinely not sure why this was needed, or who it's supposed to appeal to. To be fair, Peaky Blinders is a great show but we don'tneed Tommy Shelby giving a rousing speech about mind games before Birmingham go to war with the mighty Rotherham. However, the action on the pitch is where this docu-series shines and thankfully, the commentary draws on some of the great EFL voices, including Bill Leslie and Don Goodman. There are plenty of highlights here, including Birmingham's fiery clash with Newcastle in the Cup, a particularly tense game with Wrexham away and some big (see: exaggerated for this documentary) injury blows along the way that look set to derail the Blue train. But really, after spending mountains of cash and riding a wave of good faith from the fans, Birmingham's season was nothing short of a steamroll back into the Championship. The filmmakers do seem to sense this and a lot of the drama we see here feels a lot more artificial and manufactured than it perhaps should be. Even in episode 1, where the fans and critics bemoan that Birmingham have never won anything, it's never mentioned once that the club won the League Cup in 2010 and one of those relegations from the Prem came thanks to one foolhardy last minute goal from Tottenham that sent them down during the Premier League's best relegation scrap of all time. However, even with the positives, it's hard not to forget Brady's words early in the documentary. 'It's not a vanity project,' He tells us… even though half the documentary features his NFL highlights, jetting off to the US for the Superbowl and comparing his own career to that of the Blues. As a reminder, this is a man with a 3.3% stake in the company, I'm not sure if the intention here is to try and bring American fans into the project and gain good faith like Wrexham have, but unlike Rob and Ryan's charisma and feel-good energy, what's here feels a lot more cynical and blatant. In fact, one of the commentators mentions how Wrexham VS Birmingham is akin to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood VS the suits of New York, and it's a fitting analogy. However, Brummie fans will be in their element here, seeing the club's rise back to the Championship and their hopes for a rollicking good time in the most competitive league in English football for the year ahead. Whether Birmingham can keep those feel-good vibes going (and the cash splashing) for years to come is anyone's guess but the club does seem to be going in the right direction. Built in Birmingham is a decent enough stop-gap before the football league starts up properly later this month, but it's nowhere near as good as it could have been.