ENGLAND and West Ham footballing legend Sir Geoff Hurst pictured after being conferred with an honorary degree by the University of East London.
The hat-trick World Cup hero of 1966, he received an honorary Master of the Arts.
Sir Geoff told guests at the ceremony last week: “I am tremendously proud to have had this award. Many of you will be familiar with my long-standing connections to the local area from where many UEL students are drawn.
But rather than looking back he said it is a fitting that UEL is rising to meet the challenge of ensuring that sporting excellence is kept firmly on the map with its plans for a �20m sports centre.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Patrick McGhee said: “We are extremely proud to be honouring one of England’s greatest sporting heroes. Sir Geoff is an iconic figure who will always have a unique place in football history. “
He praised Sir Geoff’s selflessly dedication to supporting children’s health research charities.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here