Eddie Howe and Dan Burn receive honorary degrees

Dan Burn and Eddie Howe received honorary degrees from Northumbria University

Newcastle United's Eddie Howe and Dan Burn have received honorary degrees, alongside former Sunderland chairman Sir Bob Murray CBE.

Northumbria University honoured seven people who have contributed to the university or the north-east of England at its winter graduation ceremonies this week.

Howe, Burn and Sir Bob were all made Doctors of Civil Law, and Howe said the Newcastle duo were "blown away by the gesture" after helping the Magpies to their first domestic trophy since 1955.

A former student of Newcastle Polytechnic, before it became Northumbria in 1992, Sir Bob said his time there gave him the "foundation for his career". He will receive his degree later.

The university said Howe and Burn were honoured to acknowledge their contributions to Newcastle United and the wider community through their work with the club's foundation.

The pair were originally due to receive their degrees alongside students on Tuesday, but the Magpies' match against Tottenham Hotspur was rescheduled for the same date.

A presentation was held at St James' Park during the international break instead.

Howe and Burn received their degrees at St James' Park

Howe said he wanted to accept the degree on behalf of the coaching staff at the club.

"Dan and I were blown away by the gesture and the acknowledgement," he said.

"You never set out to achieve things individually, it's always about the collective, so to be recognised in any way is an amazing thing."

From a coal-mining family in Consett, County Durham, Sir Bob studied accountancy at Northumbria and as chairman of Sunderland he helped deliver the Stadium of Light, Academy of Light and the Foundation of Light.

Sir Bob Murray said his degree meant a "great deal"

"As a former student of Newcastle Polytechnic, this recognition carries real personal significance," he said.

"The North East shaped who I am, and the education I received here gave me the foundation for my career in business, football and community work.

"To be acknowledged by the university where my journey began means a great deal."

Other recipients of honorary degrees include Lol Crawley, a Northumbria graduate and Oscar-winning cinematographer for The Brutalist, and Steph Edusei, chief executive of St Oswald's Hospice.