Calls for Kevin Sinfield to receive a knighthood have grown after he received a prestigious local accolade.
Sinfield received the Freedom of Oldham honour for his remarkable career and charity work – the highest award that the council can give the local legend.
And many fans are now calling for the star, who was nicknamed Sir Kev as a player for Leeds Rhinos, to be knighted.
Fan Steven Marks tweeted: “I expect this man to be knighted one day. Hopefully very soon.”
“Hope anyone who doesn’t know his background and what he has done, takes some time to look into it,” another wrote. “He is inspirational, deserves every bit of credit for all he has done and continues to do.”
Sinfield won the Super League seven times and the Challenge Cup twice with Leeds Rhinos. However it is his charity work that has likely clinched him the honour from the council.
The 42-year-old, now with England RU’s coaching staff, took it upon himself to raise money and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease following his former Leeds team-mate Rob Burrows’ MND diagnosis.
He has raised more than £2.7million for the MND Association – recently running seven ultramarathons in seven days.
Local councillor Howard Sykes said: “Kevin Sinfield has Oldham in his DNA, and it is only right and proper that we make him a Freeman of our Borough. A former player at Waterhead ARLC, the boy has done well to say the least. And I say that as a St Anne’s fan myself!”
Twitter users clamoured for Sinfield to be knighted…
To quote from the councillor:
“We all need to be a little more Kevin!”
Image credits to Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kevin-Sinfield-of-Leeds-001.jpg
Picture courtesy of Wiki Commons, with thanks
