Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny is refusing to give up on Euro 2024 qualification despite seeing his side slip to a damaging defeat in Greece.

Kenny admitted Ireland have given themselves “a mountain to climb” if they are to get out of Group B after losing both of their opening fixtures following Friday night’s 2-1 reverse in Athens, but he remains defiant ahead of Gibraltar’s visit to the Aviva Stadium on Monday evening.

Asked if the task is now near-impossible, he said: “It’s only the second game. We’ve given ourselves a mountain to climb.

“At the moment we’ve just got to get ourselves ready for Monday, a home game, nearly a full stadium, we have to give them a victory and that’s what we’ve got to focus on.”

Ireland fell behind to Tasos Bakasetas’ 15th-minute penalty, awarded for handball by Callum O’Dowda after a VAR review, but levelled before the break when Nathan Collins fired home from Evan Ferguson’s flick-on, again following a check.

But they were caught again within four minutes of the restart when Giorgos Masouras struck, and the visitors’ misery was complete in stoppage time when Matt Doherty was sent off for pushing Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas during an ugly scuffle.

Kenny said: “We didn’t play as well as we would have wanted. Greece were the much better side in the first half overall. They had more control than we would have wanted, they played well.

“That can happen away from home for international teams, but you’ve got to defend better than we did, see it out and that’s what hurt us in the end.

“It was just a really poor second goal to give away. I can’t believe we gave it away to be honest. That’s hurt us. We were still in the game and could have drawn the game – but it might have flattered us.

“I’m very disappointed with the sending off, it seemed very harsh, Matt got involved to get people out, but he didn’t touch his face, he touched his chest. There was too much made of it with the player going down, but there was no facial contact.”

While Ireland will have to lick their wounds and prepare for Gibraltar, Gus Poyet and his players head for France and a game the Uruguayan sees as a free-hit.

He said: “I think we both knew – we were depending a lot on France and the Netherlands – but between the two, maybe one of the two, [Ireland] and us, one maybe will have a chance to go out fighting.

“To be able to be there, we needed to beat each other. If not, then you have no chance because then you depend on them as well.

“Obviously you need to also do well against the Netherlands, but especially this game, you must win it. If you think you’re going to win the other ones, then you are not realistic, so that was, for me, a must-win game for both teams.

“Obviously we were lucky enough to win it and that gives us a platform now, depending on what happens on Monday. In September, we are going to be second because we are there.

“It gives us then the feeling to go to France in a different way because now we have got six points. It’s a different game with six points than one and if you don’t get something, you’re out, so it was very, very important.”

Rob Page suggested Wales’ Euro 2024 qualifying defeat to Armenia was a necessary “slap” as he surveyed the wreckage of one of the most humiliating losses in the nation’s football history.

Armenia ran out shock 4-2 winners in Cardiff, despite being ranked 97th in the world and 71 places lower than Wales.

Page’s side – who took four points from their March games away to Croatia and at home to Latvia – would have topped Group D with victory in Cardiff.

Instead a first European Championship qualifying defeat at home since 2011 dropped them to third in the group as Turkey won 3-2 in Latvia. Wales’ next qualifier is away to Turkey in Samsun on Monday.

“They fell well short of the standards they have set before,” said Page. “I didn’t see that coming. It has really shocked me.

“Everything happens for a reason, perhaps it’s the slap we need, a little bit of a reality check.

“Everybody is starry-eyed and getting carried away. Yes, we had a great start in March but there are no bad teams now anymore.

“Look at what Turkey had to do in the 96th minute against Latvia.”

Daniel James’ sixth international goal fired Wales into an early lead, but Armenia exploited some dreadful home defending to lead by the half-hour mark through Lucas Zelarayan and Grant-Leon Ranos.

Armenia extended their lead through Ranos before Harry Wilson reduced the deficit with 18 minutes to play.

Ranos hit the post before Zelarayan’s second killed off Wales and home misery was completed 12 minutes from time when Kieffer Moore was sent off for a kick on goalkeeper Ognjen Chancharevich.

Page confirmed that Wales would not appeal Moore’s red card and the Bournemouth striker will now miss the Turkey game.

“I felt such in a positive place before the game, full of confidence and I didn’t see that coming,” Page said.

“That’s really shocked me as much as anyone else.

“The fundamentals of what we stand for, what we represent, the hard work…we were too expansive and that’s not what we’re all about.

“We’re hard-working and we pride ourselves in doing the not-so-pretty side of it.

“They taught us a lesson in that, how to do the not-so-pretty side of the game.”

Victory was especially sweet for Armenia manager Oleksandr Petrakov, who was in charge of Ukraine for their World Cup play-off final defeat in Cardiff exactly 12 months ago.

Petrakov said: “We have a game in Latvia in three days so if we go on celebrating, this victory will not mean anything.

“It’s more or less the same Wales team apart from Gareth Bale so I can not under-estimate the valuation of my team.

“My only objective as Armenia coach is to is to qualify for a major tournament.”

Michael O’Neill said his Northern Ireland players were “angry and upset” after teenage debutant Callum Marshall saw a stoppage-time equaliser ruled out by VAR for a marginal decision in Friday’s 1-0 Euro 2024 qualifying defeat to Denmark.

Marshall had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when the West Ham youngster flicked on Jonny Evans’ header to find the corner of the net, cancelling out Jonas Wind’s 47th-minute strike and sparking huge celebrations amongst the 1,700 travelling fans.

But hearts sank as referee Daniel Stefanski signalled a VAR check that would last a full five minutes, with Tomasz Kwiatkowski taking an age to review the footage before determining that Evans had been fractionally offside when the free-kick was sent into the box.

“I thought it was all about ‘clear and obvious’ and the different terminology that we have in different situations,” O’Neil said. “If it takes that long to disallow a goal why would they disallow it in that situation? I don’t know whose call that is.

“The referee obviously doesn’t go to the monitor to look at it so whoever is looking at it has to take that decision. But I’m baffled that it took so long, and clearly the margin was so minimal. For me it’s not how the technology should be used.”

Jordan Thompson had sent in a free-kick from 40 yards out on the right, with Evans heading it goalwards and Marshall’s flick beating Kasper Schmeichel.

“By the time Jonny heads it Jonny is clearly onside so we’re looking pre-the delivery of the ball,” O’Neill said. “Did he gain any advantage? The referee said to me something about 30 centimetres. I don’t know where he gets that from.

“I’m not really sure where we gain an advantage. We won’t get a satisfactory explanation, I know that, so it’s done and we have to move on.”

Asked if he wanted his players to use a sense of injustice as fuel going forward, O’Neill added: “I don’t think we need it. We don’t need that to turn around our team to be ready to play on Monday night (at home to Kazakhstan).

“We’ll be playing in front of a vociferous crowd who will be proud of how we played tonight. We’re angry and we’re upset but we don’t need that.”

O’Neill was seen with a consoling arm around Marshall’s shoulder as the players went to applaud the travelling support.

“We’ve put him on because he’s got a lot of potential,” he said. “He’s come on, scored a goal and he’s had the fairytale start to his international career taken away from him.

“I put my arm around him and told him there’ll be plenty more goals. He’s a young player with massive potential but it’s heartbreaking to have that taken away from you in that type of scenario.”

For all the frustration at the end, O’Neill was proud of the way his young Northern Ireland side had handled the toughest fixture in Group H.

An injury to Craig Cathcart took the number of senior players missing to 10, with O’Neill forced to rely on inexperienced players including four teenagers.

“It was a tough game but we did very well in the first half to contain them and we managed the game well,” he said.

“I felt the second half with the goal got a bit ragged and we should have done better out of possession but our reaction to going a goal down was excellent. At that point you have to stay in the game, it would be easy here to concede again but we didn’t do that.

“We knew we could get a bit of play in the last 15-20 minutes and on the basis of the last 15 minutes we deserved to get something from the game and we feel pretty aggrieved that we didn’t.”

Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick had more than one reason to celebrate after making his first hole-in-one as a professional in the 123rd US Open.

Fitzpatrick aced the 115-yard 15th hole at Los Angeles Country Club on his way to a second round of 70 which looked set to secure his place in the final two rounds on one over par.

“As soon as I hit it I thought that it had a good chance of going close,” said Fitzpatrick, who was looking down at his club when the ball went in.

“The rough’s covering the hole so you couldn’t see it going in any way. My hand was a bit sore afterwards, I’ll be honest, after all the high-fiving. But, yeah, it was good.

“I wish it [the roar] would have been louder. I wish it was a few more people. But, yeah, I’m surprised there’s not been as many people out as I thought this week.

“But it was so exciting to see it and first ever professional hole-in-one. Without that I probably wouldn’t be here for the weekend. It was needed.”

Fitzpatrick gave back the two shots he gained on the 15th with a double bogey on the 17th and although he birdied the difficult 18th, the 28-year-old from Sheffield could only post eight pars and a bogey on the front nine.

“I’m third last in driving this week, so I feel very lucky to be here,” the world number eight added.

“I feel like every other aspect of my game is pretty decent, just can’t get the driver going. I feel like if I get the driver going I can shoot a really good score.

“I think the big issue around this place is you miss the fairway by a yard and you’ve got to chip out. I think it’s very poor when golf courses are set up like that. You can hit it 40 yards off line and you’ve got a lie.

“So I think there needs to be more done to sort of help more accurate players off the tee. By missing the fairway by a yard you shouldn’t have to be chipping it out. If you miss it by 40 you should be having to chip it out.”

Sam Curran’s five wicket-haul helped Surrey emerge with a 28-run victory in the Vitality Blast South Group top-two clash against Somerset at Taunton.

The visitors posted 195 for nine after losing the toss, Will Jacks smashing 60 off 43 balls and Chris Jordan a blistering 36 not out off just 12.

In reply, Somerset were restricted to 167 for nine, Tom Banton top scoring with 53 and Tom Abell making 39. Curran – who has been made an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list – finished with five for 26 as Surrey replaced their opponents in top spot.

Kent scored a record Lord’s T20 total as they beat Middlesex by 13 runs, despite a magnificent century from Max Holden.

Holden led his side’s assault on an improbable target of 229 with a career-best T20 knock of 121 not out from 59 balls to maintain the Seaxes’ hopes of finally breaking their duck in the tournament after eight defeats.

But Kent held on for their second successive win, having posted 228 for three thanks to Daniel Bell-Drummond, who struck 66 from 42 before Joe Denly savaged his former side’s ragged bowling attack with an unbeaten 73 from 37.

Essex made it four wins in a row by beating Glamorgan by four wickets, with academy graduate Feroze Khushi hitting a half-century.

Khushi crashed a 37-ball 61 as Essex comfortably chased down 175, despite losing three early wickets thanks to Jamie McIlroy’s four for 36.

Paul Walter contributed 43, before Daniel Sams (41) and Matt Critchley (16 not out) saw off most the remaining runs with 24 balls to spare.

Oli Carter and Brad Currie were the heroes as Sussex upset defending champions Hampshire at Hove to claim only their third win of the season.

Carter’s 64 helped Sussex to 183 for six, which did not look enough in quick-scoring conditions.

Hampshire subsequently slumped to 24 for four and although Liam Dawson made 59 off 34 balls, Sussex won by six runs, with debutant Currie having taken three wickets as well as producing a stunning catch.

Birmingham Bears moved to the top of the North Group after triumphing by 21 runs in their derby clash against Worcestershire at New Road.

Late hitting from Dan Mousley (49 not out) and Jacob Bethell (32 not out) helped set a challenging target as the visitors reached 196 for five.

Worcestershire captain Brett D’Oliveira then struck his first T20 half century of the season, top scoring with exactly 50, but his side struggled to break free from the Bears’ spinners and finished on 175 for six for a fourth successive loss.

Dawid Malan’s fifth half-century of this competition – a superb 79 off 45 balls – helped Yorkshire to a record-equalling sixth straight T20 win as they chased 196 to beat Leicestershire by eight wickets at Headingley.

Louis Kimber had bludgeoned a career-best unbeaten 59 off 38 to power the Foxes to 195 for five after a mixed start to the innings.

But he was on the losing side as Malan united with Adam Lyth (90 not out), the left-handers sharing a superb club-record opening stand of 158 in 14 overs.

Steven Croft smashed his maiden Blast century to power Lancashire to an imposing 204 for seven and set up a 35-run victory over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

Croft clubbed seven sixes and five fours in his 101 and shared a 146-run partnership in 12 overs with Daryl Mitchell (48).

Luke Wood then took three for 39 as the Steelbacks – for whom Tom Taylor and AJ Tye posted 40 and 35 respectively – fell to their sixth defeat of the campaign.

Durham and Derbyshire played out a thrilling tie at Seat Unique Riverside after Falcons batter Haider Ali hit the final ball of the innings for four to earn his team a share of the spoils.

Brydon Carse top scored for Durham with 58 as they posted 178 from their 20 overs. Luis Reece then hit 58 from 47 balls in Derbyshire’s reply, but the home side dragged it back to set up a tense finale as Wayne Parnell claimed three wickets.

Haider then held his nerve from the last ball, finding the boundary on the leg-side to claim a valuable point for his team.

Lewis Hamilton finished fastest in second practice for the Canadian Grand Prix as the action finally started in Montreal on Friday.

The opening running of the weekend was abandoned following an embarrassing CCTV failure at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

But the problem was fixed to allow an extended 90-minute second session later in the day and it was Hamilton who topped the time sheets with Mercedes team-mate George Russell second.

Carlos Sainz finished third for Ferrari ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while championship leader Max Verstappen ended the day in sixth position for Red Bull.

Hamilton finished runner-up to Verstappen at the last round in Spain a fortnight ago in his revamped Mercedes machine, and the seven-time world champion spoke earlier this week about the grid’s once-dominant team having discovered its North Star as they bid to reel in Red Bull.

And the early signs at the eighth round of the campaign were again encouraging at a venue where Hamilton has won on seven occasions – more than any other driver.

The 38-year-old finished 0.027 seconds clear of Russell in the other Mercedes, with Sainz a tenth adrift. Verstappen, who heads the championship order with five victories from seven appearances this year, finished four tenths back.

The second session was brought forward by 30 minutes – and extended to an hour-and-a-half – after the opening running was red-flagged with just four minutes on the board when Pierre Gasly broke down in his Alpine.

Only a handful of drivers had posted a lap with Hamilton and Russell among those who had not taken to the track.

The session had been expected to restart as usual following the removal of Gasly’s Alpine, but Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, blamed “issues with local CCTV infrastructure” for the initial delay.

The suspension in play then became temporary with the FIA confirming at 14:20 local time (19:20 BST) that the session would not be resumed leaving an estimated 90,000 spectators short-changed and the sport with red faces.

Two red flags then disrupted the second session after Nico Hulkenberg’s engine blew up, and Esteban Ocon broke down in his Alpine on a troubled day for the French team.

Dark clouds lingered over the 14-corner track and heavy rain arrived with 10 minutes remaining to cement Mercedes’ position at the top of the order.

Rain is forecast for Saturday’s qualifying session and could also play a part in Sunday’s 70-lap race.

Gareth Southgate praised Trent Alexander-Arnold for buying into England’s midfield experiment and showing what he was capable of in the comfortable win away to Malta.

The 24-year-old may be an established star at Liverpool but he has often flattered to deceive with the national team, with intense competition at right-back restricting opportunities.

Alexander-Arnold struggled in a midfield against Andorra when Southgate tried him there in September 2021, but things worked far better in Malta as he won just his 19th cap on Friday evening.

The England star had a hand in all three first-half goals, including curling home superbly either side of Ferdinando Apap’s own goal and a Harry Kane penalty.

Substitute Callum Wilson completed a 4-0 win with a spot-kick of his own but this was Alexander-Arnold’s night as Southgate’s side continued their winning start to Euro 2024 qualification.

“Inevitably a lot of what happens is going to be a little bit dependent on his club,” the England boss said.

“The fact that he’s been playing partly in there with the ball, albeit a bit deeper, I think has helped his transition tonight.

“What was pleasing tonight, he’s getting used to receiving in tight areas with his back to goal, with players behind him.

“Whereas he’s used to receiving on the touchline, with the play in front of him, and he was very comfortable doing that.

“Look, I’ve got no questions in my head he can do it. It’s just learning some nuances of the role, without the ball especially very different for him.

“But he’s very keen to do it. He’s enjoyed the sort of project, if you like.

“We talked about it about four weeks ago on the phone, and I think he’s been excited by it and, yeah, he showed exactly what we think he could be capable of. He gives us something different to our other midfield players.”

This was a far more simple night for England compared to their last trip to Malta, when a drab, goalless first half against the limited hosts saw the travelling support turn on the team.

Southgate’s side have come a long way in the six intervening years and there was never any danger of their 100 per cent Euro 2024 qualification record slipping in their third Group C match.

“Of course we know we have the quality to win the games, but it’s about your mentality then and I thought that was excellent right from the start,” Southgate said.

“We tried to balance looking at a few things with some experienced players that give you leadership on the pitch and set the tone. That’s how they’ve trained all week.

“In particular when we lost the ball, the reaction to winning it back was a sign that the team were in a good place mentally.

“Then of course some really good quality for the first couple of goals, especially, so yeah, we’ve made it look fairly straightforward.

“That, as we know from last time, here isn’t always the case!

“We’ve been able to look at a few things, we’ve been able to get players on, we’ve been able to get some players off, so very pleased with the night.”

England now turn their attention to Monday’s home game North Macedonia after preventing Malta – ranked 172nd in the world – from having a shot in their box, never mind an attempt on goal.

Head coach Michele Marcolini said: “I think that we don’t shoot on goal because England for 90 minutes pressed very high and didn’t give us the chance to play easy. Never, never.

“To be honest, the difference physically was clear. To build the action easily, we cannot, to be honest.

“We are sorry about that but at the end we have to be honest and say that this kind of match for us with this kind of behaviour from the opponent it’s very tough.

“When you play with this difference between the teams, you have to hope that the opponent comes here a little bit calmer or they take the match easily.

“But this didn’t happen today because England has an amazing attitude on the pitch from the first minute until the end.”

Kim Huybrechts and Dimitri Van den Bergh put their differences aside to send Belgium through to the second round of the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt.

The duo won their opening match against Finland on Thursday night but cracks in their relationship showed immediately afterwards, with Huybrechts admitting he does not “get along with” Van den Bergh, who also said there was “something personal” between them.

But, in an attempt to avoid a civil war in the PDC competition, they put on a united front ahead of Friday night’s match with China.

They said in a joint statement on Twitter: “Following last night’s win at the World Cup of Darts, we have sat down to discuss our recent differences.

“Whilst some issues remain to be resolved in the fullness of time, we are both fully committed to doing our best as a team to win the World Cup of Darts for Belgium, and to represent ourselves, our families and our country in the best light.

“That begins with tonight’s game against China and our focus is now on preparing for the match as a team.”

Harmony was needed in a close match, with Van den Bergh producing an under-pressure 86 checkout in the deciding leg to clinch a 4-3 victory.

Defending champions Australia are yet to drop a leg and they eased to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar, while Croatia claimed a 4-1 upset victory over the Republic of Ireland.

Hosts Germany are safely through, beating Japan 4-0, and Poland set a new record average of 118.1 in their 4-1 success against Lithuania.

Elsewhere, there were victories for France, South Africa, Canada, Latvia, Sweden and the Philippines, while Denmark lost to the USA but still go through.

Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick enjoyed another magical moment in the US Open as Rory McIlroy’s fast finish kept him firmly in contention to end his major drought.

Fitzpatrick recorded the third hole-in-one of the week on the 115-yard 15th at Los Angeles Country Club, his tee shot spinning back into the hole just as those of Matthieu Pavon and Sam Burns had done in round one.

However, Fitzpatrick could not see where the ball had landed and was walking off the tee before the roar from the crowd sparked enthusiastic, if somewhat belated, celebrations.

The eagle briefly lifted Fitzpatrick into red figures, but he eventually slipped back to where he started the day on one over to trail early clubhouse leader Wyndham Clark by 10 shots.

Clark carded four birdies and a solitary bogey as he added a 67 to his opening 64 to reach nine under par, a shot ahead of four-time major winner McIlroy.

McIlroy looked set for a frustrating day as he covered the back nine in 37, but then birdied the first, third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth to storm home in 30 – as far as it is possible to ‘storm’ in a round which took five hours, 39 minutes to complete.

McIlroy revealed he had been inspired to take a somewhat more cautious approach this week after watching the highlights of his 2014 Open victory at Royal Liverpool, which will host the year’s final major again next month.

“For whatever reason I went on to YouTube a few weeks ago and was looking back at Hoylake 2014 and I could not believe how many irons and three woods I was hitting off the tee and it set something off in my mind,” McIlroy said.

“You know how to do this, you know how to play smart. You don’t have to take driver – yes it’s a big weapon but I feel like I have more weapons in my arsenal than I did then so I may as well use them.”

Asked how much he wanted to win another major after a drought of almost nine years, McIlroy added: “I started thinking about winning this thing on Monday and no-one wants me to win another major more than I do.

“The desire is obviously there. I’ve been trying and I’ve come close over the past nine years and I keep coming back.

“I feel like I’ve showed a lot of resilience in my career, whether I get rewarded or punched in the gut I’ll always keep coming back.”

Dustin Johnson had recovered from a quadruple-bogey eight on the second to add a 70 to his opening 64 and remain six under par, a total matched by Australia’s Min Woo Lee thanks to a superb 65.

Overnight leaders Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele were among the later starters, Fowler starting brilliantly with three straight birdies to improve to 11 under.

Fowler and Schauffele had both shot 62 in the first round to record the lowest score in US Open history and equal the lowest in any men’s major, while the scoring average of 71.38 was another tournament record.

Tournament officials insisted they would not respond by making conditions “stupid hard”, although the par-three 11th was playing 297 yards and water had only been applied to “isolated spots on the greens for turf health”.

John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer of the USGA, told NBC: “[On Friday], as planned, we will play the golf course longer.

“We’re not going to force anything. We could do things that could make it stupid hard. We’re not going to do that.”

Jacob Ramsey says the current crop of England Under-21s are better equipped to win the European Championship than some of the previous stars.

Lee Carsley’s side are in Georgia for Euro 2023 and kick off their campaign against Czech Republic next Thursday.

A host of players who went on to become established England internationals have come through the youth system over the years, but did not perform on the biggest stage, with five of the last six European Championships ending in a group-stage exit.

Ramsey, who had a fine Premier League campaign for Aston Villa, says Carsley’s group have a different mentality.

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“One thing that I will say about this group – when we’ve looked at previous groups before, and previous camps, there’s probably a different mentality,” he said.

“I think, before, people have put us down as big favourites and that we’ve gone there to win it. But in this group we’ve got a bit of a humble side. I think everyone knows how well we can play together, and we probably are one of the favourites.

“But we will go into this tournament respecting every team. For my personal opinion in this group, I feel like we’ve got the right balance and, hopefully, when we go out there we will show that.”

It helps that Carsley has been able to select a side that is packed with Premier League experience, with the likes of Ramsey, Morgan Gibbs-White, Emile Smith Rowe, Anthony Gordon, Oliver Skipp and Harvey Elliott all regulars in the top flight.

“Obviously, going into a major tournament for the 21s, it is a big thing,” Ramsey added.

“But I think if you look at the clubs that the lads are playing for – Liverpool, Man City, even the lower end of the table with Forest and stuff, they are playing for a bigger prize than this tournament.

“But, I think that nearly everyone in this squad has Premier League experience, there’s no pressure like playing in the Premier League in front of 60,000 at Old Trafford, at the Emirates, at the Etihad, so hopefully we can bring that experience and help the boys who haven’t played as much or bring it into this tournament and gel together.”

The 22-year-old ended the season in fine form for Villa under Unai Emery as they qualified for the Europa Conference League.

He scored six goals and produced seven assists as Emery moved him further up the field following Steven Gerrard’s exit and has loved life under the Spaniard.

“I feel like I’ve probably had my best season so far, to date,” he said. “I feel like I’ve left Villa, and the season, strongly. I feel like I’ve put up some good numbers and good performances.

“I’m enjoying it. I enjoy working with him and his coaching staff. The players are loving it, the style of play, the details and intensity of the training.

“It’s really good. I don’t think one player at Villa at the moment could not say they are enjoying it. Whether you’re playing or not playing I think there’s a good vibe around the camp, so I’m enjoying it.

“I think if you compare my role under the previous manager, and my role now, I’m playing a little higher up, so I’m one of the players who he’s demanding to get assists, get goals and creating chances.

“Whereas before I was playing in the middle, playing as a number eight, so I was more box-to-box, whereas now he’s putting a lot of pressure on me to create chances for Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey – players like that.

“When he’s come in he’s put a lot of pressure on me, which is always good to have him demanding me to go and get in the box, scoring goals, get assistance and creating chances.”

John Greig thanked Rangers for the part they have played in his life as he dedicated his CBE to the club of his heart.

The 80-year-old spent his entire career with the Gers as a player, manager and director and he now holds an ambassadorial role.

Greig’s significance to the Glasgow club was highlighted in 1999 when he was voted by supporters as “The Greatest Ever Ranger”.

The Ibrox icon has now been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours.

“One of the reasons I’ve got this is because I’ve managed to spend all my life with a great club in Rangers,” he told the PA news agency.

“The club and the fans have given me the support and the respect which has obviously put me in line to get this, which I appreciate very much.

“It’s a big honour and I look upon it as an honour to the club as well as myself.”

Greig admits news of his CBE came out of the blue.

“It’s most unexpected at my age,” he said. “I feel humbled because there are so many people more deserving of this than me.

“Nevertheless, I’m very honoured and proud.

“I didn’t know it was in the pipeline. I just got word from London a couple of weeks ago. I don’t even know how they got my address but they notified me by letter.

“My wife opened the letter and we got a shock because it was unexpected.”

Greig was not the only Scottish football personality recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

Arbroath manager Dick Campbell was given a Medal of the Order of the British Empire “for services to Association Football and to the community in Angus”.

The charismatic 69-year-old has become one of Scottish football’s most recognised and popular characters during a managerial career spanning more than three decades.

Campbell, who has previously had spells in charge of Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline, Brechin, Partick Thistle, Ross County and Forfar, explained the recent death of his sister Margaret has lent a degree of poignancy to his recognition.

“To receive the Empire Medal is fabulous,” Campbell told the PA news agency. “I’m very surprised and I don’t know what to do. My sister died six weeks ago and I just wish she was living to hear about it. She knew nothing about it because I only found out about a month ago.

“It’s a special honour because it’s from the people of Angus for my services to football. I took Brechin up three leagues, I took Forfar up two leagues and I took Arbroath up three leagues so I don’t think anybody will ever repeat that!

“I’m a humble miner’s boy from Hill of Beath, I’ve been in the game a long time. I’m starting my 36th year as a manager this weekend so it’s a nice way to start the new season.”

Sarah Hunter is planning a beach holiday in Italy this summer with the aim of processing a momentous period of her life that has produced its latest achievement in the form a CBE.

England’s most capped player with 141 Test appearances has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list for services to rugby union.

Seven months ago the 37-year-old was coming to terms with a defeat to New Zealand in the final of the World Cup that left her needing a break from the sport.

When the decision to retire was made, England’s captain did it on her own terms by bowing out in her home town as the Six Nations got under way in Newcastle in March.

As one of the greatest champions for the advancement of women’s rugby, the farewell procession has been lengthy, but her association with the Red Roses endures after she was given the newly-created role of transition coach.

A breathless schedule means Hunter has so far been unable to book next month’s fortnight break on the continent, but when it comes it will finally provide the space to make sense of recent events.

“Never in a million years did I ever expect to have the career I’ve had and for it to be recognised like this,” she told the PA news agency.

“I’m just an ordinary girl from the north-east of England who has happened to have an incredible time playing rugby.

“I haven’t really had the time to take it all in. After the World Cup it was pretty difficult. We went into the tournament really confident but it didn’t pan out and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

“When I came back I didn’t want to see rugby or be involved in rugby. My club Loughborough gave me time and space as a person and not just as a rugby player, which was really important.

“I was captain when we lost the World Cup final in 2017 and from that I learned to be kind to myself. You’re older and wiser and reflect that in sport these things happen. I didn’t want to be around rugby and that was an important thing to recognise.

“I’m really glad I took the time because while it’s all been a whirlwind, the last four or five months have been pretty special. Once I decided to call time on my career, doing it at Newcastle felt really right.

“I got to do it in a place that is so special to me with all my friends and family there. People think I was mad not doing it at Twickenham for the Grand Slam decider in front of 60,000, but for me it’s never been about the grandeur or magnitude of something, it’s about what matters to me.

“When I walked out on to the pitch, I knew it was the right moment and I’ve not missed playing since.

“Opportunities have come since then and it feels like I’ve been living in a bubble that I’m sure will be popped soon and the reality of what has happened over the last six month will finally hit me.

“From being in a mindset where rugby wasn’t a great place for me after the World Cup to being in a great place knowing what I’ve been able to take from the game is incredible.

“It’s been an eventful six months but I’m looking forward to sitting on a beach and reflecting on it.”

Hunter made her England debut in 2007 in front of fewer than 200 people at Old Albanians, just outside St Albans, and recalls that “no one knew it was happening.”

Fast forward 16 years and 10,200 crammed into Kingston Park to watch the number eight say goodbye in a match broadcast live on terrestrial TV. And at the end of the Six Nations, 58,498 gathered at Twickenham to see England clinch the Grand Slam – a world record attendance for women’s rugby.

“As I’ve got older, what has become really special for me is seeing how the game has grown,” said Hunter, who hopes to build on a coaching career that started at Loughborough.

“What has been the greater purpose of me playing?”

“While I will have special memories of winning the World Cup and Six Nations titles, and the team-mates I’ve had along the way, playing a small part in taking the game to an unbelievable level is one of the things I’m most proud of.

“Knowing I’ve done that as part of a generation of players who have taken the game to another place is special.”

Northern Ireland centurion Jonny Evans is full of pride after becoming an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

The 35-year-old Leicester defender, who had won 100 caps for his country heading into this month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers, is one of a number of people from the world of football to be recognised.

Former Rangers captain John Greig becomes a CBE, ex-Arsenal, Crystal Palace and England forward Ian Wright was made an OBE while former Chelsea and England forward Eniola Aluko becomes an MBE.

Evans said: “When I got the letter through the door and it had the royal seal on the back I was a bit shocked, but it was also amazing.

“It made me feel very proud, especially when I saw that it was in recognition of my contribution to association football in Northern Ireland.

“It brought it home that playing more than 100 times for my country, and playing for so long for Northern Ireland, has been so good. I represented everyone in the country and had many good times along the way.”

Evans is already excited by the prospect of the investiture ceremony, on a date to be confirmed.

“It will be a really special day and one that we will really enjoy,” he added.

Wright becomes an OBE for services to football and charity.

He was a late developer and did not sign professionally until the age of 21 with Palace, having been playing in non-league for Dulwich Hamlet.

He scored a post-war record 117 goals for the Eagles and scored twice for them in a 3-3 draw against Manchester United in the 1990 FA Cup final, before the London club were beaten 1-0 in the replay.

He enjoyed even greater success at Arsenal after signing for them in 1991, finishing as the Gunners’ top scorer for six seasons in a row and scoring 185 goals for the club in total – a figure only surpassed by Thierry Henry.

Since retiring in 2000, Wright has become a regular and popular pundit on Match of the Day and on ITV’s coverage of the England men’s and women’s teams.

He has spoken powerfully about racism in football and last summer during the Women’s Euros added his voice for the calls for girls to be given equal access to the sport at school.

Aluko won 102 caps for the Lionesses during her playing career, having started out at Birmingham in 2001. She was part of the Chelsea squad which won the 2015, 2017 and 2018 Women’s Super League titles and the 2015 and 2018 FA Cup.

She was part of the Lionesses team which reached the final of the 2009 Euros, and a key component of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

Since her retirement, she has worked in director roles at Aston Villa and Angel City in the American National Women’s Soccer League, as well as a television pundit.

Greig’s CBE is recognition of an incredible career with Rangers, in which he won five league titles and six Scottish Cups, captained them to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972 and was voted by supporters as “The Greatest Ever Ranger” in 1999.

Also recognised is referee Amy Fearn, who in 2010 became the first woman to referee an EFL match when she took over officiating duties for the final 20 minutes of the game between Coventry and Nottingham Forest.

Fearn, who also became the first woman to referee in the men’s FA Cup first round in 2013, said: “It’s all a little bit surreal but all very nice at the same time.

“I got a letter through the post about a month ago to say that I had been nominated and would I like to accept it. My initial reaction was, who was winding me up?!

“The letter was totally out of the blue. When you make the phone call to confirm everything, I asked who it was that had nominated me but they said they couldn’t tell me.

“For someone to take the time to nominate me and go to this much effort is very nice and touching.”