Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, who was awarded an MBE yesterday, has joined a very illustrious list of England footballers to receive royal honours.

Faye White, Arsenal Ladies and England captain, also picked up an MBE and former FA Executive Director David Davies was made an OBE.

It was King George V who in 1917 created the honours known collectively as the "Order of the British Empire" to recognise service or achievements outside wartime combat. The awards are announced twice annually - in the New Year's Honours List and in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June.

The great Stanley Matthews was famously the first footballer to be knighted in 1965. Eight years earlier he was the first to receive a CBE. In the latter he was followed by Billy Wright, Don Revie and Bobby (later Sir Bobby) Charlton.

The first recipients of OBEs were footballers from a bygone age like Rupert Anderson, William Clegg and Tinsley Lindley. Lindley was a centre-forward who scored 14 goals in 13 internationals in the 1880s and '90s.

In more modern times Emlyn Hughes, Gordon Banks and Bobby Moore were awarded an OBE.

Steven Gerrard, a major star for club and country, is the latest in the list of about 30 England players to get an MBE. It includes seven of the team that won the World Cup and the first recipient of all was Norman Creek, an old Corinthian and pre-war player for England at both senior and amateur levels. He later joined The FA's Coaching Department at Lancaster Gate.

Past Recipients of Honours (Click to view their England Record)

Norman Creek
Rupert Anderson
William Clegg
Tinsley Lindley
Gordon Banks
Sir Bobby Charlton
Emlyn Hughes
Bobby Moore