Former Manchester United favourite Lou Macari has received an MBE for his services to association football and his work tackling homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent.
In 2016, Macari established the Macari Centre, a shelter providing accommodation for people sleeping rough. During the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns across England, the centre was forced to close its crowded premises.
In response, Macari rented a warehouse and filled it with glamping pods for homeless people, providing socially distanced accommodation where individuals could have their own space and personal address.
In a post published on X, Macari said "What a fantastic day at Windsor Castle to receive my MBE from Prince William. I was dead nervous beforehand but was then okay, chatting to him about football and our work with the homeless over the last 10 years at the Macari Centre."
What a fantastic day at Windsor Castle to receive my MBE from Prince William. I was dead nervous beforehand, but was then ok chatting with him about football and our work with the homeless over the last 10 years at the Macari Centre. pic.twitter.com/tVx7h04ume
— Lou Macari (@LouMacari10) November 11, 2026
The caption was posted alongside a photo of Prince William pinning the MBE to Macari’s blazer.
The honour also recognises his contribution to football, having joined Manchester United from Celtic in 1973. The Scotsman went on to spend 11 years at Old Trafford before joining Swindon Town towards the end of his playing career.
Following his retirement, Macari embarked on an 18-year managerial career, taking charge of several clubs, including Swindon, Birmingham City and Stoke City.
During his time at United, he made 401 appearances for the club, scoring 97 goals. One of his most memorable contributions came in the 1977 FA Cup final against Liverpool.
Having already secured the English First Division title, Liverpool were chasing an unprecedented treble of major honours. United's fierce rivals had already booked their place in the European Cup final, which they would go on to win against Borussia Monchengladbach, beating the German side 3-1 in Rome.
But four days before that trip to the Italian capital, they faced United at Wembley.
Coming into the match as underdogs, United had spent just two seasons back in the English top flight after being relegated in 1974. They had finished sixth in the league, 10 points behind Liverpool, and had also lost the previous season's FA Cup final to Second Division side Southampton.
A five-minute spell would define the final. A loose pass from Kevin Keegan—his second-to-last appearance in a Liverpool shirt—allowed United to seize possession, and Emlyn Hughes failed to intervene as Jimmy Greenhoff moved the ball on to Stuart Pearson. The striker drove forward and finished decisively past Ray Clemence in the 51st minute.
Liverpool responded almost immediately. As BBC commentator John Motson declared, “Liverpool are at their most dangerous when behind,” Jimmy Case levelled the score just two minutes later.
Just minutes later, United struck again. Lou Macari floated the ball into the box, Greenhoff brought it down, laid it back, and Macari’s strike deflected off Greenhoff’s chest, looping into the net just as the clock ticked by into the 55th minute.
Macari’s scrappy goal proved decisive, and United held firm in what would become Tommy Docherty’s last match as United manager, who was sacked after it was revealed he was having an extramarital affair with Mary Brown, the wife of the club's physiotherapist, Laurie Brown.
The 1977 FA Cup would be Macari's only major honour with United, but it stands alone as United’s greatest victory over Liverpool and their most important FA Cup win.
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