Ray Kiddell was awarded an OBE for his five decades of service to football with the Norfolk County FA and The FA. He is chairman of the women's committee.

"It's great to have 52 years of volunteer work recognised," Kiddell told the Eastern Daily Press.

"It's been very rewarding for me and without question volunteers are the life blood and spirit of any game. Nowadays you hear that people are not prepared to do something for nothing.

"Just go to any playing field in Norfolk on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. It might be cold and wet but they'll still be stood on the touchline and you can only admire their enthusiasm.

"I'm a great believer in the fact that this is one game. The professional side can't function without the national and the national must understand the role of the pro game and the revenue that it generates which helps us to run a wide range of initiatives."

Arsenal forward Kelly Smith, who is also the current England Player of the Year, has been made an MBE in recognition of her services to women's football.

"It is an honour and very exciting," Smith told Arsenal.com. "I am flabbergasted to be honest. I think I will be more nervous going to Buckingham Palace than I would be before any football game."

Smith's Arsenal team mate Julie Fleeting was also made an MBE in recognition of her services to the women's game. "It’s quite a shock but I’m absolutely thrilled," said the Scotland captain.

"Hopefully it can do a lot for women’s football, the fact we are getting recognition.

"When I first started playing you don’t really think too much about it, but after a while you want to achieve as much as you can, and you need a lot of support."

There were a number of other football honours, too. Bootle's Henry Bradley was awarded an MBE for voluntary service to young people and to sport in Merseyside. Mr Bradley, 72, started playing football as a boy and 33 years ago established Belfry Youth Football Team as chair and coach.

His football career started in the Liverpool youth team, before he moved on to play for Crewe, Bury and in Germany. Since his retirement from professional football, Mr Bradley has been a role model for the hundreds of children he has coached over 30 years.

An MBE was also awarded to Janette Hynes, founder of the Positive Mental Attitude League, a football league established for those with mental health issues. A Level 3 FA Coach, Janette established the London-based football league for people who have experienced acute or enduring mental health problems. Janette is a member of the Football and Mental Health Advisory Group, which is chaired by The FA.

Other award recipients include Hazel McGahey for Voluntary Service to Youth Football in South Birmingham and Midlands football legend Cyrille Regis for Services to the Voluntary Sector and Football. Cyrille was one of the first black footballers to break through into the English game in the late 1970s and he also won five caps for his country.