Graeme Souness CBE - Legend

[NeoGeo7]

Graeme Souness has been made a CBE for his services to football and charity.

The former Rangers and Liverpool star said fundraising for charity had allowed people to see "the real me", as he accepted the honour from the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle.

Souness won a host of trophies during long spells with both clubs, serving both clubs as player and manager, as well as taking part in three World Cups with Scotland.

However, in recent years he has worked as vice president of Debra UK, helping to raise awareness of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) - a group of genetic skin conditions that cause the skin to blister and tear at the slightest touch.

He started working with the charity six years ago, and helped raise £1.5m for further research into the condition when he joined a swimming challengeacross the English Channel last year.

Souness said he joked with the Prince of Wales about Liverpool's victory over Aston Villa 

After the ceremony he told the PA news agency that he was trying to "be a decent human being." 

He said: "I think when you go to work, whatever job you do, you become quite a different person to what you really are, certainly in the demands of football management and being a football player.

"I am an emotional man, and when I get involved in this charity and when I'm around these poor children, I am emotional.

"Now that I've been involved for six years, I get it now - I understand the plight of these children, and it's just pushing me to do more and more for them if I can."

In 2023 Souness explained how a Scottish teenager had inspired him to swim the Channel

In 2023 he told the BBC that epidermolysis bullosa was the "cruellest disease out there" and that he was inspired to attempt swimming the Channel after meeting teenager Isla Grist from the Scottish Highlands.

Isla, from Black Isle, near Inverness, has had the condition since birth and has to be wrapped head to toe in bandages which are change three times a week in an extremely painful procedure.

Souness fought back tears as he described Isla as "the most unique person I've ever met" and praised her bravery.

After the Windsor Castle ceremony the 71-year-old added that he considered his fundraising achievements to be "up there with European Cups", referring to the trophy he won three times with Liverpool. 

He said that with football he had "ticked that box" and was now focused on another Debra fundraising event in May 2025, where he will aim to swim the English Channel again before riding a bike from Dover to Westminster. 

Souness - who also worked as a TV pundit in the sport for years - said he joked with the Prince of Wales about Liverpool defeating Aston Villa, who the Prince supports, at the weekend.

[The Specky Forum Organiser]

Well deserved. Was incredible what he did at his age.

[Official Match Thread Creator]

A Liverpool legend for sure and lovely work for charity. 

More suited to general sports

[teddybear1975]

2 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

A Liverpool legend for sure and lovely work for charity. 

More suited to general sports

Opinion splitter 😁

[Official Match Thread Creator]

Just now, teddybear1975 said:

Opinion splitter 😁

Only remembered favourably because Walter covered his arse and won the title that season. Don’t care to hear he said he’d stay to the end of the season, he wanted away to Liverpool and that’s why he left.

Lovely charity work as I said 

[Stormy Daniels]

Magnificent bastard 

[Bobby Hume]

2 minutes ago, Stormy Daniels said:

Magnificent bastard.

Indeed mate ... and his partnership with Walter ... bonding together to form another Magnificent double act that set the ball rolling for our second 9IAR and memories that cannot be overshadowed ... even when he left us under a dark cloud ... the silver lining being the recognition of Walter Smith (along with Archie Knox of course) as a true blue legend in his own right.

🇬🇧

[WWTC]

Soooooooouuuuunneeeeeeeeeessss!

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer]

Should bring him back, show the players a thing or two, kick arses, wouldn't accept bla bla

[Laudrupsleftfoot]

1 hour ago, .Williamson. said:

Only remembered favourably because Walter covered his arse and won the title that season. Don’t care to hear he said he’d stay to the end of the season, he wanted away to Liverpool and that’s why he left.

Lovely charity work as I said 

Mind it well aye?

[Moody Blue Legend]

Congratulations to him.  

[Goofy The Scot]

1 hour ago, .Williamson. said:

Only remembered favourably because Walter covered his arse and won the title that season. Don’t care to hear he said he’d stay to the end of the season, he wanted away to Liverpool and that’s why he left.

 

Fair point, but without Souness we probably wouldn't have had Woods/Butcher/Walters etc....... probably wouldn't have had 2 spells of Walter either so GS has my thanks.

[bluenoz]

I always had time for GS. A skilful player and tough as nails. He became a successful manager because his fellow players respected him.

Although he has had some odd things to say in recent times, mostly on talkSport, I still believe he should be involved at the club in a small capacity.

Congratulations on a great achievement.

[Tiger Shaw]

Some man 

 

[Official Match Thread Creator]

3 hours ago, Laudrupsleftfoot said:

Mind it well aye?

No, same way I don’t mind Moses and Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath but I feel I could tell you a bit about them being Rangers men

[Official Match Thread Creator]

2 hours ago, bluenoz said:

I always had time for GS. A skilful player and tough as nails. He became a successful manager because his fellow players respected him.

Although he has had some odd things to say in recent times, mostly on talkSport, I still believe he should be involved at the club in a small capacity.

Congratulations on a great achievement.

One of those things was if we ever moved to England we should ground share with the taigs. Definitely would be a great person to have involved in the club 

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer]

1 hour ago, Tiger Shaw said:

Some man 

 

Unless Liverpool sniff around 

[bluenoz]

2 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

One of those things was if we ever moved to England we should ground share with the taigs. Definitely would be a great person to have involved in the club 

Only you could turn a positive thread/achievement into a negative.

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer]

2 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

One of those things was if we ever moved to England we should ground share with the taigs. Definitely would be a great person to have involved in the club 

I know you're not Tavs biggest fan but it's mad (I know souness done more) that souness is a hero but a guy who has been here nearly a decade is absolutely slaughtered, never fucked off when some diddy English mob came in for him.

Souness was a great player but an absolute cunt on the park, Alfie got it stinking for petulance, in this day and age souness would be out for about 6 months suspended 

[RM Monitor And Standards Officer]

1 minute ago, bluenoz said:

Only you could turn a positive thread/achievement into a negative.

Not at all he's right.

Steve Davis helped get us a fee from Southampton and people still hate him 

[Official Match Thread Creator]

1 minute ago, bluenoz said:

Only you could turn a positive thread/achievement into a negative.

No I said lovely charity work and Liverpool legend. I think he would appreciate my words 

[MacBoyd]

9 minutes ago, RM Monitor And Standards Officer said:

I know you're not Tavs biggest fan but it's mad (I know souness done more) that souness is a hero but a guy who has been here nearly a decade is absolutely slaughtered, never fucked off when some diddy English mob came in for him.

Souness was a great player but an absolute cunt on the park, Alfie got it stinking for petulance, in this day and age souness would be out for about 6 months suspended 

Tav gets slaughtered for being in hall of fame but he's gar more deserving than many in it.

[bluenoz]

9 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

No I said lovely charity work and Liverpool legend. I think he would appreciate my words 

I doubt he would read your words if they were hidden in the general sports section as per your wish, which was your way of belittling the achievement.

[Tiger Shaw]

I understand some people don’t like him because of the way he jumped ship to Liverpool But I watched our team as a young boy in the early 80’s finished 4th and 5th in the league then Souness came in and rejuvenated the whole club bringing top players from England including their International captain. He brought us our first league title in 9 long years, our first win at the piggery in 9 years, I watched him absolutely boss the midfield against them. When he left I was angry I chanted “Penis penis penis’ at Love street in the next game after he left but that was more than 30 years ago now. I’m over it I’m not bitter, I just appreciate what he did for the club. In my eyes he’ll always be a legend and one of the best players I’ve ever watched live but each to their own.

[left winger]

16 hours ago, .Williamson. said:

Only remembered favourably because Walter covered his arse and won the title that season. Don’t care to hear he said he’d stay to the end of the season, he wanted away to Liverpool and that’s why he left.

Lovely charity work as I said 

Yeah, nothing to do with his part in revolutionising our club when we were going absolutely nowhere.