Laureation address: Sir Kenneth Dalglish MBE

Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws
Laureation by Professor Sharon Ashbrook, School of Chemistry

Tuesday 21 June 2022

Vice-Chancellor, it is my privilege to present for the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish.

Sir Kenneth is, quite simply, a footballing legend, and one of Scotland’s greatest ever sportspeople. He was also personally responsible for what my 11-year-old self considered the best day of her life in 1986, when he scored the only goal against Chelsea in the last game of the season, securing Liverpool Football Club a league and cup double. 

Sir Kenneth (or “King Kenny” as he is perhaps better known to generations of football fans) was born and brought up in Glasgow. Despite starting out as a goalkeeper, he excelled as a striker. During his playing career he made over 850 appearances for Liverpool and Celtic, scoring 345 goals. He was part of teams that won three European Cups, a European Super Cup, ten League Championships, and multiple Scottish and English Cups. 

He is Scotland’s most capped player (with 102 appearances) and their joint equal top goal scorer (with 30 goals), although I was warned by my Head of School not to mention a particularly painful one in 1976 against Ray Clemence and England. In 2020, he was voted by fans as Scotland’s greatest international footballer. 

Sir Kenneth has also had a successful career as a manager, initially with Liverpool (with whom he won another three league championships). He has been inducted into the Scottish and English Football Halls of Fame and, in 1985, was awarded an MBE for services to football. 

It is noteworthy, however, that although the citation for his knighthood, with which he was honoured in 2018, mentions his footballing achievements, it highlights his charity work and wider service to the city of Liverpool. The charity he founded in 2004, jointly with his wife, Marina (who I am pleased to say, also joins us here today), has raised many millions of pounds to support the treatment of, and research into, cancer, with two Liverpool hospitals (Aintree and Broadgreen) being particular beneficiaries. 

Sir Kenneth was manager of Liverpool during one of the club’s darkest days – the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, which recently claimed its 97th victim. While the rights and wrongs of the events that day were played out on the front pages of tabloid newspapers and, ultimately, in the courts, Sir Kenneth was on the ground – supporting his players, visiting the injured and the families of those who had lost loved ones and attending the funerals of those who had died. His selfless and unwavering support for the families and communities of the city in the most difficult of times will never be forgotten.

When I was asked to give this address, I asked my colleagues, family and friends for advice. It was noticeable that everyone had a “Kenny story” – how they had met him, how their Nan had met him, how a particular game or goal had for some made (or for others completely devasted) a season. For me, the most telling comment came from my Mum, who despite living in a family of Liverpool fans is about as uninterested in football as it is possible to be. On hearing I would be speaking today she said “Kenny Dalglish? Your Dad liked him – I think he was quite good”. High praise indeed. 

Vice-Chancellor, in recognition of his major contribution to football, to charity, and to wider society, I invite you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on Sir Kenneth Dalglish.