The England Under-19 coach collected her award from Buckingham Palace on Thursday after being included in the Queen's birthday honours in June for services to women's and girl's football in Merseyside.

"Getting the award is as good as anything," an ecstatic Marley told TheFA.com. "Because you are awarded it, it surpasses everything. It was an amazing occasion."

The former England and Everton captain, who is now manager of the Toffees, travelled down to London on Wednesday before joining the other dignitaries at Buckingham Palace the following morning.

"The day was an amazing occasion - I had never been to Buckingham Palace before," added the former centre-half, who skippered England during Euro 2001.

"I was trying to take it all in, you don't want to forget anything. I walked around the Palace gardens, it's an amazing building.

"I did not know what to expect. There were loads of tourists and photographers there. We were mixing with different people - armed forces, nurses, we even saw Del Boy!"

After a briefing on how the ceremony would run, Marley prepared herself for her meeting with the Queen.

"I was very nervous. You want to make sure you get it right. It's like when you get married. It's a great day but you want to get your words right," she added.

But Marley's nerves soon disappeared when her name was called out to meet the Queen.

"When the Queen presented the award, I got a couple of minutes to speak with her. She said 'you run a football team, don't you?' She also said that girls' football was very popular. It's good to think that she knows about women's football. She was very pleasant," said Marley.

But the gracious Marley played down her achievement, saying it was an award for women's football on the whole, rather than a feather in her cap.

"It was amazing to think I was nominated in the first place, but I took the award for the work done for girls' football.

"Women's football has been recognised. It was not just an award for me, but for women's football and women's football in Merseyside," she added.