OPINION: David Beckham is right to be angry over knighthood omission

The looks, the money, and a football career the envy of many.

But he hasn’t got a knighthood.

And, according to reports in national newspapers, this is a sore point for our Becks – and I don’t blame him.

Now, for what it’s worth, I have scratched my head in disbelief at some of the gongs handed out in recent times.

And it looks like Becks has too.

Honours appear to be handed out like confetti to cronies and those with links to the establishment.

Just look at the list of those given awards last summer when former Prime Minister David Cameron departed office.

There was even an honour given to his wife Samantha’s stylist, give me strength.

Just look at the number of knights and dames in Parliament.

For what?

Away from politics, knighthoods have been given to all and sundry in others sports.

In the meantime, Becks has sat back and watched hundreds of people pick up honours for basically doing their jobs.

Now I am not naive, I know all too well there is a machine behind the Beckham empire - or Brand Beckham.

However, credit where credit is due, Becks has surely done more than enough to merit an upgrade on the OBE he received 13 years ago.

He played an instrumental role in helping to bring the 2012 Olympics to London and devotes tireless work to charity, chiefly UNICEF.

Before that he captained his country, won a plethora of medals with Manchester United and played more than 100 times for England.

Okay, he was only his doing job on the football pitch – but, let’s be honest, he’s contributed a hell of a lot more than some of those who have benefited from the honours system down the years.

Perhaps it’s snobbery from the establishment toward footballers.

After all, arguably the greatest football manager of them all, Brian Clough, departed this planet without receiving a knighthood, which was and still is an absolute disgrace.

Very few of the England World Cup winning team of 1966 have received the ultimate accolade.

Again, an absolute disgrace.

Why is this?

All this has come to light because Becks’ emails have allegedly been hacked and tampered with.

If so, questions need to be answered.

But questions also need to be answered about our honours system and why some who deserve to be honoured aren’t, and many who are shouldn’t be.