Football can be a force for good

Footballers generally get given a hard time by the media and are often viewed as lazy, stupid and greedy by members of the public. (I stand by my observation on Dimitar Berbatov, he may well not be greedy or stupid, but lazy…!)

Good

However, footballers actually do an awful lot of good work in the community that rarely gets the same level of publicity as a footballer having an affair or getting into trouble in a nightclub.

Many clubs have nominated charities and football itself, through Football Aid and other schemes, raises thousands of pounds for worthwhile causes.

Disadvantaged

Players spend a lot of time visiting schools and hospitals and bringing some joy into the lives of particularly disadvantaged children.

We just don’t get told about it because it is not regarded as news.

I am happy to use my article here today to attempt to redress the balance a little.

Charity

Arsenal football club are doing a lot of work for the Great Ormond Street Hospital children’s charity, hoping to raise £500,000.

This week, Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Bacary Sagna dressed up as furry animals in order to film an advert for the charity. They were filmed around London with Arsene Wenger and four patients from the hospital whilst trying to raise money. The film can be seen at www.beagoonerbeagiver.org.

Wages

Arsenal have dedicated their game against Chelsea at the Emirates on 29th November as a fundraising day. All of the Arsenal players will donate a day’s wages to the cause.

Skipper Cesc Fabregas said,

“I encourage all supporters to give what they can. I visited Great Ormond Street Hospital back in August so I know what this means to the charity and the patients. This advert is a bit of fun for the players and we hope supporters enjoy it, but there is a very real message in it about helping this hospital. We hope to raise lots of money for this worthwhile cause.”

Manager Arsene Wenger said,

“We understand the importance of helping to improve the facilities at the hospital and we’re encouraging all Arsenal fans to help in whatever way they can.”

Arsenal are not the only club to undertake an awful lot of good work for charity and their players are certainly no different to the norm in trying to help where they can. There is an awful lot of money in football and these young men are in a very privileged position. It is heart-warming to know that they give something back to society and it deserves coverage every bit as much as the negative stories we hear about players and clubs all the time.