York honours Roy Hodgson with honorary degree

Mr Hodgson, 68, was described as an ambassador for the sport as he received the degree at a graduation ceremony at the University of York.

He attributed his success in his career to having the courage to take chances and praised his wife for her support over the years.

Mr Hodgson told the audience of graduands and their families: “If there’s one thing I would say to you, and it’s something we try to preach to our football players, have no fear. You have got to believe in yourself.

“Be prepared to take chances because the worst that could happen is you might have to accept that it didn’t work out, this challenge you took, and you have to go back to the drawing board and wait for the next chance to come along.”

He continued: “I’ve been very lucky in my career because it took me to different places.

“The one thing, if I look back on it, is the fact that I had the courage, and a wife who had the courage, to do things which weren’t always evident. To give up a fledgling teaching career to play football in South Africa with a two-year-old son. With a five-year-old son, to give up another fledgling career to go and coach in Sweden at the age of 28.

“These were things that demanded a bit of courage and demanded a bit of self-belief.

“I think it’s very important you have that self-belief, I think it’s very, very important that you don’t have fear or don’t have anxiety.”

Mr Hodgson said he would “treasure” his honorary degree of Doctor of the University, which was presented to him by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost Professor Saul Tendler.

Grace Clarke, sport president of the University of York Student Union, said it was a privilege to introduce Mr Hodgson, who has managed four national sides and 16 club teams in eight countries.

Ms Clarke told the audience that Mr Hodgson played for Crystal Palace before qualifying as a coach at the age of 23 and beginning his managerial career in 1976, with a five-year stint at the Swedish club Halmstad.

She said: “Roy’s drive, enthusiasm and resilience, regardless of the situation, are essential qualities we encourage our students at the University of York to strive for.”

She added: “Roy is much more than ‘another man in a tracksuit’ only seen on the side of a football pitch on a Saturday afternoon.

“He is an ambassador for the sport, which our nation knows and loves, and an advocate of positive change and internationalism and an inspirational leader.”

Ms Clarke wished the England manager well in Euro 2016 and said she hoped he might lead a major women’s football team to success in the future.