Fellowship for Steven Gerrard

25 July 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steven Gerrard MBE received an Honorary Fellowship from LJMU in recognition of his services to sport on Friday 25 July.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Gerrard said: "I'm privileged to be standing here today but this wouldn't have been possible without my team mates at Liverpool Football club - so a big thank you to them."

He also thanked LJMU for conferring the Fellowship and welcoming him to the University family, adding: "I'm proud to come from this city; I do my best for the city, both on and off the pitch, and I'll keep on doing this."

He received a huge cheer from all the graduates when he congratulated them on their success, saying that the day really belonged to them. He had achieved his Honorary Fellowship, he said, thanks to the help of players, coaches, Liverpool Football Club and his family, who had been with him from day one. The graduates' degrees were, on the other hand, an individual achievement and he hoped that they enjoyed their graduation day, which marked the culmination of all their hard work.

Finally, Gerrard said that it was an honour to receive the Fellowship and thanked everyone at LJMU for making him feel so welcome and relaxed apart, he said jokingly, from when giving the speech.

Richard Stilgoe also received an Honorary Fellowship during the same graduation ceremony in recognition of his outstanding contribution to musical theatre and his support for educating the young through performance art.

During his acceptance speech, Stilgoe displayed the wit and humour for which he is renowned, reserving special congratulations for the "all the young ladies who made it across the platform in shoes less then 12 hours old".

Though born in Camberley, Surrey, Stilgoe grew up in Liverpool and he reflected on how 59 years ago he had first walked up the central aisle of the Anglican Cathedral when aged just six years old.

Liverpool was, he said, "a city of choices", which had given him wonderful choices when he was a teenager, not least allowing him to play twice in the Cavern. Though this was only, he said, because they couldn't believe his band, Tony Snow and Blizzards, "could be as bad second time around".

He then offered graduates three pieces of advice.

First, he said, when singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' don't start too high.

Second, he asked graduates - and their mums and dads - to write a letter, not a text or email, saying how much they loved each other. These letters would be something that they would "cherish all their lives".

Finally, always "take the interesting route" through life. If the graduates did this, he said, they may be lucky enough, like him, to have the "nicest possible life" and have the opportunity to share the stage with one of the greatest footballers on the planet, Steven Gerrard.

To read the oration for Steven Gerrard, click here.

To read the oration for Richard Stilgoe, click here.