Long-serving Arsenal Ladies captain Alex Scott has been honoured with an MBE for her outstanding contribution to the women’s game.

The Gunners right-back joined the club at the age of eight, emerging from the Centre of Excellence and helping them to win numerous trophies in three separate spells.

Scott, who has won more than 100 caps for England, set up her own academy for young female players in 2011 and also supports a wide range of projects run by The Arsenal Foundation.

The 32-year-old said: “I just can’t comprehend it in my mind. It’s still not sinking in.

“Everything, my whole career and the journey that I’ve been on, to get this announcement kind of makes everything worth it. You sit back and reflect and you just think ‘wow’! It’s amazing.

“To think I’ve started from playing in a football cage in the east end of London to being recognised for everything that I’ve done by the Queen is just something else.

“The journey is still continuing and 2017 is going to be a massive year. Obviously we’re trying to get back to being the best team in women’s football – and it’s also a massive year in terms of England and the Euros.

“This is going to be my last European Championship, no doubt about that, so I’m hoping I can end on a high there and do all I can to get a gold medal.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal Ladies have released two of the three remaining survivors from their quadruple-winning side of a decade ago.

Goalkeeper Emma Byrne and forward Rachel Yankey – both of whom helped the Gunners to win the domestic treble and the Champions League in 2007 – have left the club after their contracts expired.

Byrne won a total of 27 trophies with the club as well as gaining 125 Republic of Ireland caps, but she lost her place to Sari van Veenendaal last year.

Yankey, one of the most capped players in England history, helped the Gunners to 18 trophies and was also awarded an OBE for her work in grassroots football.

The pair’s departures leave Kelly Smith as the only member of the 2007 side still on the playing roster at Arsenal.