FA National Council member Anwar Uddin awarded an MBE

English retired footballer and current Football Association Council member has become the first British South Asian footballer ever to receive an MBE as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. No other British Asian current of ex-footballer has received the honour until now.

Uddin, is one of the four people in the sport to receive the award alongside Wales captain Gareth Bale, Liverpool midfielder James Milner and ex-Scotland international goalkeeper Alan Rough. He is also the first British Bangladeshi professional footballer in English football history and is recognised for captaining  West Ham to FA Youth Cup glory in 1999 before signing Premier League terms with the club.

Upon receiving such a distinguished honour, Uddin wrote on Twitter, “I am extremely proud to be awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for Services to Football. I am so grateful for what football has given me – still at heart a young fan from East London, of mixed Bangladeshi/English heritage, who has had the opportunity to play, coach, manage and campaign towards positive change within the game.”