He thought it was a demand from the taxman.

But the letter that arrived for Scotland's most-capped footballer Kenny Dalglish was in fact an invitation to hear the words: "Arise Sir Kenny".

Kenny Dalglish leads the Scots honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list after being knighted for his role in helping the families of the Hillsborough disaster.

The Herald:

The football legend dedicated his knighthood to his family and everyone involved in his career after admitting it “doesn’t feel right” receiving the personal accolade.

The former player, manager and tireless charity campaigner joined more than 100 "exceptional" Scots from fields including science, sport, education and business have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

University of Glasgow graduate Professor James Hough, who helped detect gravitational waves, is among those to be given knighthoods along with Glasgow-born book shop founder Tim Waterstone.

The Herald:

There was an OBE for Scots horse trainer Lucinda Russell, who trained the 2017 Grand National winner One for Arthur and Aberdonian oil industry tycoon Sir Ian Wood, who was given a knighthood in 1994, added to his honours by being made chancellor of the Order of the Thistle by the Queen.

Sir Craig Reedie, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, receives a Knight Grand Cross for services to sport while Glasgow banker Douglas Flint is knighted for services to the finance industry.

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And a lifeboat volunteer involved in 634 rescues has been honoured with an MBE along with long-serving emergency service workers. Bill Deans, 68, started volunteering with Aberdeen's Inshore Lifeboat team in 1976 when he was working as a police officer.

Sir Kenny who was manager at Anfield at the time of the disaster when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at an FA Cup semi-final on 15 April 1989, said he was "hugely proud to have accepted the accolade" for services to football, charity and the City of Liverpool.

The 67-year-old former Celtic star and his wife Marina have also helped raise millions of pounds for cancer treatment through the Marina Dalglish Appeal after she successfully battled breast cancer. and his wife Marina have also helped raise millions of pounds for cancer treatment through the Marina Dalglish Appeal after she successfully battled breast cancer.

The Herald:

Joking that he thought the letter informing him of the knighthood had been from the taxman, he added of the achievement: "We only set out to do the best we possibly could, even through all the other stuff - the charity or Hillsborough, it was to help people because somebody helped us."

He added: "Obviously it takes everything you have done in your life into consideration.

"Football was part of it and a very important part of it. So is the charity that we have in Marina's name and obviously Hillsborough must have been part of it as well.

"Someone in their wisdom has thought it was deserving of some recognition. I am hugely proud to have accepted the accolade.

"You start off in your life just hoping to be a footballer. You become a footballer and have a bit of success and that seems to give you a platform to go on to other things.

"We only set out to do the best we possibly could, even through all the other stuff.

"The charity or Hillsborough; it was to help people because somebody helped us."

Relatives of Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster called for the former Liverpool manager to be knighted for his "extraordinary" response to the tragic events seven years ago.

Former Lord Mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotherham MP told fans at an Anfield memorial service in 2011 that the families had asked him to table an Early Day Motion to make the request.

The Herald:

He helped ensure the club was represented at all of the fans' funerals and attended many of them in person.

Mr Rotherham, who is now Metro Mayor for the Liverpool City Region, said at the time: "People are commemorated for their services to national sport, Sir Bobby Robson for instance, charitable causes, and Kenny and Marina [his wife)] have had a very successful charity – the Marina Dalglish Breast Cancer Appeal – which has opened a new radiotherapy centre in Fazakerley hospital. Then there is the support he has given to the families – and therefore the community – from day one. So he has done all three.

"It would definitely be of benefit to the Hillsborough families. While it is recognition for Kenny Dalglish himself, the families are quite clear that any individual award to him would reflect on the 96 as well and the work he has done on their behalf.

"It nearly broke him. He and Marina went to five funerals in one day. Whilst they were counselling people there might, in hindsight, perhaps have been someone to counsel Kenny and Marina and that didn't happen."

The Herald:

In talking about the award Dalglish, made an MBE in 1984 for services to football, used 'we' throughout - specifically referring to himself and his wife but also the wider family.

His team won the highly-emotional all-Merseyside final in the year of Hillsborough - a day Dalglish identifies as the stand-out moment of his career.

"For me, that is the most important memory," he said.

"Not because of the game itself but because of what it meant to the people of Liverpool.

"All right, we lost the league to Arsenal but I think the cup was the most important trophy that year for everybody - and that's not to undervalue anything else.

"I look back and think 'I'm really pleased we won that one'."