Why more footballers could learn from Upson and Dawson's orphanage visit

By John Cross

Published 06:01 17/06/10

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Matthew Upson and Michael Dawson stepped out of the England bubble this week to bring a touch of realism to the World Cup.

The England defenders got a bus five miles down the road from their luxury Royal Bafokeng training base to an orphanage in Rustenburg.

The visit proved an eye opener both for the pair of them and also the assembled media, myself included, who went along with them.

The SOS Children's Village in Rustenburg cares for 80 youngsters rescued from desperate poverty. One of the ten homes that each house eight orphaned children was paid for by the FA to the tune of £60,000.

Others in the neat street of suburban bungalows were paid for by Spurs and England stars like Jermain Defoe, Ledley King, Aaron Lennon and Dawson himself.

The money from the Spurs stars comes from their players' pool made up from fines and so on. One joker said that one of the houses has a David Bentley wing.

Dawson also sponsors a boy, a 12-year-old mad football fan called Aubrey, who was found living on the streets after the tragic death of both his parents.

Aubrey and his brother Orapeleng, now 14, were reduced to scavenging for food to survive after they ended up with an alcoholic uncle who could not afford to feed them.

They lived in a two-bedroom mud hut in a village 50 miles from Rustenburg and were expected to look after their baby cousin. Their uncle's £40-a-week income went on booze and Aubrey was left to "fend for himself."

Now Aubrey, unfortunately wearing a Manchester United shirt with Rooney on the back rather than a Spurs shirt emblazoned with Dawson, now gets schooling and football coaching. It's paying off, as he looks to be a cracking little player.

Upson and Dawson were an absolute credit to their profession, two highly-paid footballers with more money than they know what to do with giving something back and taking time out to make these kids' days.

Of course, you might now be wondering why more squad members didn't do the same, but that's not really the issue for now.

Let's instead celebrate that fact that Upson and Dawson did get involved. Two better diplomats and adverts for football you couldn't wish to meet in a country that is beset by poverty, problems and issues in the shadow of new multi-million pound stadiums.

Talking to Upson and Dawson afterwards you could tell this was not just a PR visit. They genuinely meant it.

Those kids - Aubrey in particular - will never forget that visit. Let's just hope that other players from other big countries make a similar effort.

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