Legend Summerbee was presented with his award at Windsor Castle by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales for his services to football and charity, after being awarded this past summer as part of the birthday honours of the late Queen Elizabeth the second.
The 80-year-old won the First Division and Second Division titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup winners in the sky blue of City as well as eight England caps during a stellar 20-year career.
And, this afternoon, accompanied by wife Tina and members of his family, Mike couldn’t hide his pride at being honoured at the Investiture Ceremony and said it took him back to those glory days out on the pitch.
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“It’s something you don’t expect, especially at my age now,” he said. “I have had such a successful life as a footballer at Manchester City that to add this on top of that and the trophies we won in those days is something fantastic.
“I have had a great career as a footballer and I’m at a great football club now and they’ve put me in a position which is amazing, ambassador to Manchester City Football Club, we’re the Premier division champions – I have to put that in – and it’s just a pleasure. It’s like playing football again without kicking a football.”
Mike said he enjoyed a good rapport with The Prince at the prestigious ceremony as the pair talked about their cherished football.
The Prince, who is the president of the Football Association, has been a supporter of Aston Villa since his school days.
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Mike said that made the conversation easy as the pair chatted prior to the handing over of his well-deserved medal.
He added: “Prince William was there. It was good.
“I have met him a few times because he’s an Aston Villa supporter so the rapport was quite good because I watched Villa play when I was a young boy and he’s very much a football fan so really it was good.
“The conversation was easy. It wasn’t as if I was talking to the future king, I was talking to William.
“He just congratulated me on winning it but also it was mostly about football because he’s keen on football.
“How often does he have to speak to somebody about football who he enjoys. He knows I supported Villa when I was a young boy and he’s got James Milner in there so he’s got plenty of football to talk about.”
Watch the full interview with Mike Summerbee OBE in the video player above.
