SIR Andy Murray might prefer plain old Andy but that doesn't mean the sentiment is shared by all of his peer group. While the Scot has asked the All England Club not to use his new title when Wimbledon ticks round this summer as he still feels too young to receive such an honour, another man who became a knight of the realm in the New Year's Honours list, Sir Mo Farah, was experiencing noticeably less difficulty trying his new name outfor size on his first public appearance yesterday since being given Britain's highest sporting honour.

There were plenty of other topics to get round with Farah besides - not least of them is the challenge of holding off reigning champion Garrett Heath of the USA and others to win the Great Edinburgh X Country title on what in all probability will be his last ever cross county outing - but it was only natural that the gong show was uppermost in everyone's mind. All things considered, this quadruple Olympic and world champion was entitled to feel he had quite a success of himself since departing Mogadishu, Somalia, at the age of eight. Especially in these days where immigration into the UK doesn't get such a great press.

"Everyone is different," said Farah. "If that is how Andy likes it, you have got to respect that. I don't mind it, I don't feel like I am too old or not old enough.

"Everyone who knows me as Mo can call me Mo," he added. "Nothing has changed that way. But it is an honour to be called Sir. To be given a title is something I never dreamed of as a kid. Coming to Britain, not speaking a word of English.

"But I was given a chance and you have to make the most of it. I was lucky to be able to come over to Britain and join my father. I work hard at what I do and if I wasn't given that chance I wouldn't be here.

"I opened the letter with my wife and we said 'really, oh my God, what's happening?' It was a couple of weeks ago and it said keep things private, don't say anything, so we didn't know how we could tell. Is it going to happen? You have to fill out the form and accept it. So I did."

One thing Mo and Andy, to give them their familiar names, do share is an affection for Arsenal, even if the London club tend to experience significantly more difficulty than their celebrity fans do when it comes to picking up major honours these days. Farah, who is on first name terms with much of the Gunners' squad, admitted that he popped into London Colney on Thursday, where he was subjected to a one v one session in training against Danny Welbeck.

"I just went up there to check it out, and showed my love for the team," said Farah. "I spoke to Arsene Wenger but he didn't call me Sir, of course not. He has got a title [an OBE], even though he is French."

While Murray was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a record third time this December, that is one honour Farah has never had. In fact, he has only made the top three once, back in 2011 and this year - having just completed the double double of Olympic golds over 5,000m and 10,000m - it was Alistair Brownlee and Nick Skelton who shared the podium with the Scot, with Farah back in fourth. While staying well short of full Kanye West mode, Farah indicated that he had been slightly miffed not to get a look-in and spoke in glowing terms of Brownlee, who said that his snub was "really sad".

"No-one had to say anything, that is just how it happened," said Farah. "But Alistair is a great athlete and I have a lot of time for him. For me, if I had to vote for someone, I would have voted for him - him picking up his brother was really what touched me. It is something I have never had but not something I think about. It was a bit weird. I don't know if I would have won it, I just thought I might be top three. You do think a little bit, 'what's that about?' No-one can take away what I have achieved. My medals and everything, what means more than anything else is putting that GB vest on."

Farah, whose father Muktar was born in the UK, will put that vest on for one last time in Cross Country action today, a thought which at one point was threatening to make him quite emotional. Hee will finally hang up his track spikes after the World Championships in London in August, but one of his parting shots yesterday was hitting out at athletes for whom nationality is only a badge of convenience. Scotland's own Callum Hawkins and reigning champion Heath may make much of the running, but his rivals in today's 8k race on a Holyrood Park course which is less muddy than last year ["That should help me because I'm a track runner," says Farah] include Aras Kaya and Polat Kemboi Afrikan, two Kenyans who compete for Turkey on residency grounds. Kaya has previously represented both Kenya and Russia.

"When you represent your country, you have to be representing a country that you love – a country you’ve lived in," said Farah, who isn't entirely happy with where his training is in early season. "I don’t personally agree that you should compete for one country and then decide to switch in a short space of time. It’s different if they’ve been there for seven, eight years – that’s fine. But to just switch overnight? It makes athletics look boring." Say what you like about Sir Mo, but his time at the summit of the sport has been anything but that.