Swindon Town club historian Dick Mattick has offered his congratulations on behalf of all at the Swindon Town Museum Trust to former Swindon Town manager Lou Macari on being awarded an MBE.

In 2016, Macari established the Macari Foundation to help with homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent, which has helped over 120 individuals secure permanent homes, whilst the foundation also provides food, shelter, and support.

On Macari being given the award, Mattick said: “As somebody who knew Lou, I am not surprised he has done so much in retirement to help others.

“How many managers would take the time to turn up at a Junior Robins (the eighties equivalent of the Junior Reds) meeting?

“How many managers would give a job as kit man to a jobless would-be clown (a story told in the BAFTA-winning drama ‘Marvellous’).”

As well as his contribution to society outside of football, the MBE also recognised his importance within the sport.

Mattick said, “While as a player he made a name for himself playing for Celtic and Man United to such good effect that he won international honours with Scotland, it was at Swindon his managerial career began and, I would argue, was at its most successful with Swindon.

“I think when judging managers one has to take into account the funds they have available, and this is why Lou scores so highly as there was no money available for players and Lou had to make bricks without straw.

“He did this in a number of ways; Andy Rowland was converted from a goal-scoring striker, whose pace was going, into a dependable centre half, while finding new blood like Peter Coyne and Brian Wade to spearhead the attack, and first and foremost, he got the team fit.

“Lou went on to manage Celtic, Birmingham and Stoke without ever recapturing the level of success he enjoyed at Swindon but was still highly respected, which enabled him to do so much good work for charity in the Potteries.

“One could go on but will just end by saying, Well done Lou, a fine manager and a fine human being.”