Footballers only deserve a knighthood for a life's work, says Sir Bobby Robson

David Beckham should not be considered for a knighthood for at least ten years, believes Sir Bobby Robson.

Amid rumours that Beckham is down for a knighthood this month on the list drawn up by the outgoing Prime Minister, Sir Bobby accused Tony Blair of handing out honours "too lightly".

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And he revealed Mr Blair has not consulted the expert sports honours panel about Beckham.

Sir Bobby, 74, the former England manager who was knighted in 2002, is on the Sports Honours Committee, one of eight committees set up three years ago to recommend awards.

"We haven't been consulted on David Beckham and I've had to think long and hard on what I would have advised, if asked," said Sir Bobby, who is a Mail on Sunday columnist.

"My general view is that honours under this Government have come to be awarded too lightly.

"Beckham's knighthood would be a kind of personal gift from Tony Blair, who has been accused of being too highly influenced by celebrity.

"For people of my generation, sportsmen given MBEs or OBEs should be special. And a knighthood should be recognition for a lifetime's work, not half a lifetime."

There are six surviving football knights, with Tom Finney, Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst, Alex Ferguson and Trevor Brooking as well as Bobby Robson.

Sir Alf Ramsey, manager of England's 1966 World Cup winning side, died in 1999, and Sir Stanley Matthews, the first footballer to be knighted, in 2000.

All of them were knighted aged in their late forties or older.

Sir Bobby was full of praise for 32-year-old Beckham who made a much-praised return to the England side against Brazil on Friday.

"David is an extremely charming man and very under-rated as a player," he said. "Some critics feel he is a product of celebrity rather than substance but that just isn't true.

"He was in the Manchester United team that won the Champions League and three successive Premiership titles, and England relied on him heavily as captain.

"He does good work for charity and for UNICEF. He is a great role model, and an ambassador for the game, something which played a part in London winning the right to host the Olympic Games in 2012.

"However, on careful balance I don't think those qualities on their own are enough to earn him such a high individual honour.

"David has played in three World Cups but, despite all the anticipation, England didn't come close to lifting the trophy, as the boys of '66 did.

"Think of the achievements of Finney, Hurst and Ferguson. They are ambassadors and winners.

"Trevor Brooking became an influential and hard-working administrator, Alex and I managed for 30 years at the highest level after our playing days. Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst and Tom Finney spread the football gospel with huge dignity.

"In my view we should give David more time before we call him Sir."