NewsSir Kenny Dalglish receives Lifetime Achievement Award at BBC SPOTY
Sir Kenny Dalglish was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year ceremony on Tuesday night.
The legendary Scot was honoured during the annual event in Salford for his remarkable footballing success as a player and manager, as well as his dedication to charitable causes off the pitch.
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Sir Kenny is, of course, a Liverpool FC icon, with his bond to Anfield beginning when he arrived as a player from Celtic in 1977.
A hugely gifted forward, he went on to score 172 goals in 515 appearances, lifting six league titles, three European Cups and plenty more along the way.
Sir Kenny took over management duties for the Reds in 1985, initially as player-manager, and guided the club to three championships and a pair of FA Cups, while also being a pillar of support for all affected by the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989.
He returned to the Liverpool dugout in January 2011 for an 18-month spell that included success in the 2012 League Cup final at Wembley.
“Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is truly an honour,” said Sir Kenny – who is also Scotland’s most capped men’s player and joint-record international goalscorer – of the accolade.
“I have always believed in the importance of team success, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of the players I’ve played with, the people I’ve worked for, and the supporters that stood by me, so this is for them.”
Sir Kenny and wife Marina have also raised more than £10 million for a variety of charities, including the Marina Dalglish Appeal, which raises money for cancer care.
Reflecting on his relationship with the city and club, he continued: “The football club means everything to ourselves as a family.
“For Marina and I, we brought the family here to start off a playing career and the way they adapted to life in Liverpool was unbelievable. They loved going to football when they were younger. They love the environment in Liverpool and going back there.
“It’s just really comfortable in and around Liverpool, a couple of them were born here. So, this is their home and they’ve loved it.
“Marina was there, she has spent most of her time with the kids and without her there spending time with the kids you’re not going to be successful as a player or as a manager.
“They say behind every successful man there’s a woman, but I say get her right beside you, not behind you.”
In a personal tribute, meanwhile, Reds boss Jürgen Klopp said: “Kenny means absolutely everything [to Liverpool FC]. He is Liverpool.
“He has his own stand [at Anfield] – and well deserved – and he is just one of the nicest people you can meet. He is full of joy, he loves his club, he is super-supportive.
“I don’t think in all the lesser-good times you’ve ever heard anything from Kenny that he would say, ‘How can they do that? Why don’t they win that game?’ Because he was in the chair. He is one of the few people who talk about football and know exactly how it is.
“If you think about Liverpool FC, I think there are two names who come in your mind immediately. That’s Kenny, that’s Stevie. And then obviously some former fantastic coaches. But of the recent times these two names are probably the biggest names in the history of LFC.
“I feel really blessed to know him.”