Ex-England boss Gareth Southgate knighted in New Years' Honours List
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Gareth Southgate’s managerial journey started in a humble school yard back in May 2006. It ended - for now - with him making the nation fall in love with football, and the England team, once again.... and today, becoming Sir Gareth. Back then he was Boro captain. His boss, Steve McClaren had landed the England job on the back of the Teessisder’s charge to the UEFA Cup final.
And Southgate invited me to watch him talk to Primary school children, fittingly for what was to unfold in recent years, about the importance of sport in all our lives. Then he sent a wider message to the football world … that would see him eventually leading England to two (losing) Euro finals and a World Cup semi final.
Then 36, he told the Mirror : “It's something I'd not even considered really until a fortnight ago, but I want to coach and manage in the future.”. Now Southgate, 54, has been honoured for his services to football and becomes the fourth England boss to become a knight after Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson. There were some big landmarks on the way with club and country that would mould him into a thoughtful, inspirational leader, that turned playing for, and watching, England into a pleasure.
As a player Southgate lifted the League Cup for both Aston Villa and Boro, and played 57 times for England between 1995 and 2004, experiencing three major tournaments including 1998 World Cup. He missed the decisive spot kick in the 1996 Euros semi final shootout to Germany, sending himself up in a pizza advert.
