ReutersGraeme Souness has been made a CBE for his services to football and charity.
The former Rangers and Liverpool star said fundraising for charity had allowed people to see “the real me”, as he accepted the honour from the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle.
Souness won a host of trophies during long spells with both clubs, serving both clubs as player and manager, as well as taking part in three World Cups with Scotland.
However, in recent years he has worked as vice president of Debra UK, helping to raise awareness of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) – a group of genetic skin conditions that cause the skin to blister and tear at the slightest touch.
He started working with the charity six years ago, and helped raise £1.5m for further research into the condition when he joined a swimming challenge across the English Channel last year.
PA MediaAfter the ceremony he told the PA news agency that he was trying to “be a decent human being.”
He said: “I think when you go to work, whatever job you do, you become quite a different person to what you really are, certainly in the demands of football management and being a football player.
“I am an emotional man, and when I get involved in this charity and when I’m around these poor children, I am emotional.
“Now that I’ve been involved for six years, I get it now – I understand the plight of these children, and it’s just pushing me to do more and more for them if I can.”
In 2023 he told the BBC that epidermolysis bullosa was the “cruellest disease out there” and that he was inspired to attempt swimming the Channel after meeting teenager Isla Grist from the Scottish Highlands.
Isla, from Black Isle, near Inverness, has had the condition since birth and has to be wrapped head to toe in bandages which are change three times a week in an extremely painful procedure.
Souness fought back tears as he described Isla as “the most unique person I’ve ever met” and praised her bravery.
After the Windsor Castle ceremony the 71-year-old added that he considered his fundraising achievements to be “up there with European Cups”, referring to the trophy he won three times with Liverpool.
He said that with football he had “ticked that box” and was now focused on another Debra fundraising event in May 2025, where he will aim to swim the English Channel again before riding a bike from Dover to Westminster.
Souness – who also worked as a TV pundit in the sport for years – said he joked with the Prince of Wales about Liverpool defeating Aston Villa, who the Prince supports, at the weekend.
