A YEAR ago he was recovering from a horrific car crash that claimed the life of his friend and left him needing months of treatment.

But this Saturday Saints legend Mick Channon will step onto the St Mary’s turf to collect an honorary degree awarded by Southampton Solent University after the accident put last year’s ceremony on hold.

The 1976 FA Cup winning striker turned successful racehorse trainer will be given an Honorary Doctorate of Sport by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Van Gore, at half time of Southampton’s League One game against Norwich City, another of Channon’s former clubs with whom he won the League Cup in 1985.

The award comes 15 months after Channon survived the crash on the M1 which killed his friend Tim Corby and left him hospitalised.

Daily Echo: Click below to see a video of today's headlines in sixty seconds

Channon becomes the fourth former Saint to receive an honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University, following in the footsteps of his FA Cup winning manager Lawrie McMenemy and legendary ex-players Matthew Le Tissier and Terry Paine.

Professor Van Gore said: “We are delighted to bestow this thoroughly-deserved honour on Mick Channon, whose achievements in both football and horse racing are inspirational.”

Prolific scorer Channon cemented his place in Saints history with a total of 602 appearances and 228 goals for the club during two spells with the club that totalled virtually 16 years. He joined the club as a 15-year-old and scored on his first team debut against Bristol City in April 1966.

Though considered ungainly at the start of his career, under the guidance of Ted Bates he became a first team regular and a prolific goalscorer, who celebrated goals with his trademark windmill celebration.

International honours were not too far behind with Channon making the first of 46 England appearances in October 1972. He scored 20 goals for his country.

The high point of his Saints career was playing in the winning 1976 FA Cup final team at Wembley. He moved on to Manchester City for £300,000 in 1977 but just two years later he was back at the Dell in partnership with Kevin Keegan before the curtain fell on his time at Saints in 1982.

After that that he enjoyed a three-year spell at Norwich and Channon went on to play briefly for Portsmouth before moving into racehorse training.

He saddled his first runner in 1989 and has since become one of the country’s foremost trainers, regularly recording 100 winners a season from his West Ilsley stables.