WITH the Queen's Birthday Honours due shortly, several newspapers have been putting forward names for knighthoods.

Prominent suggestions have been Sir Frankie Dettori and Sir David Beckham.

Yet both are in their 30s, still active sportsmen and may have future honours to win.

Contrast this to the way in which the 1966 England World Cup squad was rewarded. It was to be well over 30 years before all the team received honours.

Events at the Oval in September 2005 show how the whole process has been speeded up. The England cricket team was showered with honours seemingly before the stumps were pulled. Indeed, if the Ashes had been retained last winter I suspect Michael Vaughan would now be pondering a name for his impending dukedom.

Fast forward to 2012 and we can only speculate as to how British medallists will be honoured. It seems quite possible a decathlete could start the event as a plain mister and by the final discipline find himself a Master of the Royal Bedchamber with an MBE in the post.

Honours should be given on the basis of the achievement of a lifetime, not just a lunchtime.

Martin Birtle, Billingham.