We debate. You decide. Email: back4@theherald.co.uk or write to The Sports Editor, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow, G2 3QB There is something utterly laughable about the campaign to have Jock Stein knighted posthumously.

Last week, the Labour MP's Jim Devine and David Marshall tendered a motion at Westminster to have the former Celtic manager, the first man to guide a British team to the European Cup, awarded with the title for services to football.

A number of journalists picked up on the story and it wasn't long before the messageboards got hold of it. Suddenly, what started as an embarrassing whisper was in danger of becoming a cornerstone of Labour's election manifesto.

But before we start taking shameless vote-catching stunts too seriously we should remember that when politicians embrace populist ideas, it's time to start looking for ulterior motives - like diminishing majorities and election dates.

Quite apart from the underlying reasons behind Devine and Marshall's politicking, there is the more obvious question of why it should matter whether Big Jock is granted the title.

There is no precedent for the award of posthumous knighthoods. Indeed, even if there had been, Jock Stein would not be the recipient, (or, and this is labouring the point, would not see the benefit of it). Instead, it would fall to his widow Jean to accept the title.

Stein was first nominated for the award by Willie Ross, the Scottish Secretary, in 1967, the year Celtic won the European Cup. But government papers released in 2000 subsequently revealed that Stein, a former miner, was deemed "not the right sort" by Whitehall mandarins to be given a knighthood. That being the case, even if Stein were alive today, it is doubtful he would want it.

At least one Celtic messageboard picked up on the theme last week. Yes, that's right, a Celtic messageboard demanding a knighthood for a former manager. Some might say an outdated, inegalitarian and thoroughly British award was at odds with the Celtic minded population but not, it seems, when it comes to Stein.

There are other mitigating factors. This is, after all, an award which has been cheapened in recent years by a Labour administration which hands out peerages and honours like Monopoly money (insert own joke here).

Hence Alex Ferguson receiving a knighthood for winning a European Cup when previous managers with equally impressive - and in some instances significantly better - records did not; thus Elton John is now Sir Elton John for writing a couple of good songs in the 70s (repeat to fade) and Richard Branson earned his trip to Buckingham Palace for his implicit support of Tony Blair.

The campaign for retrospective knighthoods was first taken up by Tottenham Hotspur supporters a few years ago. Spurs fans felt Bill Nicholson, their former manager who presided over the first modern-day double, should be rewarded for those feats. When he died in 2004, calls for a knighthood gathered momentum but Whitehall has never wavered and remains unlikely to despite the baton being picked by supporters of Liverpool and Nottingham Forest who wanted recognition for managers of their own - Bob Paisley and Brian Clough.

It is a ludicrous tactic and one which prompts a simple question: what is the raison d'etre for such campaigns? The achievements of these managers are enshrined in the folklore of their clubs, they are part of the fabric of football, they are ethereal and thus above any petty bauble. Their feats are passed on by word of mouth and tradition. Furthermore, outside of the club, no-one really gives a fig about whether these managers are honoured.

As one supporter put it this week: legends don't have to be knighted, just remembered.