The world’s oldest working football coach, Ivor Powell, received an MBE from The Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 25 June.
The TeamBath FC coach was awarded the MBE in the 2008 New Year’s Honours List and was presented with the award just a few days short of his 92nd birthday: “I was honoured to receive the MBE from The Queen. It made me proud and gave me a great deal of pleasure.”
Professor Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, was among those to pay tribute to Ivor: "He is one of the best influences on young sports people that I have ever met and long may that continue.”
Ged Roddy, Director of Sport at the University of Bath, added: "Ivor is an inspiration to us all. He's a tremendous character and he exudes a real passion and enthusiasm for football.
“We're privileged to have had him working at the University of Bath for more than three decades and we're proud and delighted that he received his MBE from the Queen."
Ivor and members of his family visited the new Wembley on Tuesday having played for Wales at the old stadium.
And Thursday evening, on returning from London, he attended a dinner held in his honour at the University of Bath, where he has worked as a football coach for more than 30 years.
He was joined at the dinner by past and present University of Bath footballers and members of staff at the University.
Ivor started his working life in mines across South Wales before being asked to join Queen’s Park Rangers.
Spells at Blackpool and Aston Villa followed, as well as 14 appearances for Wales but it was at Blackpool that he struck up a friendship with Sir Stanley Matthews, who went to be Ivor’s best man at his wedding.
Ivor also pursued a coaching career that took him to Leeds United, Carlisle and PAOK in Greece.
In 2004 he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and in 2006 his role as the world’s oldest working football coach was recognised as a Guinness World Record.
TeamBath FC will play in the Blue Square Conference South for the first time next season after gaining promotion last term.