CHRIS Kamara, one of football’s most popular figures, described receiving his MBE from the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle as “unbelievable”.
The 65-year-old, known for his catchphrase “Unbelievable Jeff”, was honoured for services to football, charity and anti-racism.
Teessider Kamara played for nine English professional clubs over two decades before going on to manage Bradford and Stoke, later working as a pundit and presenter on Sky Sports.
He said he was “so pleased” to have met William for the first time, revealing that the royal had written to him after he was named in the New Year’s Honours List.
Reflecting on the day, he told the PA news agency: “Amazing, what a family occasion it has been to take my wife and my sons Ben and Jack to Windsor Castle to see my investiture.
“Does it get any better? It’s great.
“I got a letter from the prince to say congratulations and I just thanked him for that letter and he said it’s well deserved and long overdue, so coming from His Royal Highness, that’s amazing.
“We chatted football, of course, we chatted about that letter and he asked how I was, which was overwhelming that Prince William is asking me how I am.”
READ MORE:
- Michael Carrick outlines Middlesbrough's latest transfer thinking over Ryan Giles
- Chuba Akpom on a day he'll remember forever and what Bernie Slaven said at full-time
On meeting William, he added: “It was unbelievable.”
There was a huge outpouring of support for Kamara on social media when he went public about his apraxia of speech diagnosis last year, saying he felt “a fraud” as a broadcaster having learned he had the condition.
He said the public support he had received was “amazing” and “humbling”.
During Middlesbrough's game against Rotherham at the Riverside earlier this season, Boro fans held up a banner that read: 'You're not a fraud Kammy, You're unbelievable!'
Kammy later said: "That was incredible. I had no idea that was going to happen. I think every single person in football saw it and sent me a message and that was brilliant."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereYou must verify your phone number before you can comment.
Please enter your phone number below, and a verification code will be sent to you by text message.
Please enter the six-digit verification code sent to you by SMS.
Your verification code has been sent a second time to the mobile phone number you provided.
Your verification code has been sent a third time to the mobile phone number you provided.
You have requested your verification code too many times. Please try again later.
Didn’t receive a code? Send it againThe code you entered has not been recognised.
Please try again
You have failed to enter a correct code after three attempts.
Please try again later.
Your phone number has been verified.
Your phone number has been stored with your account details. We will never use it for anything other than verifying that you are the legitimate owner of this account.