The Liverpool FC Thread XIV

Jamie Carragher, Juan Mata and the charitable footballers making a difference

As Jamie Carragher played his last game for Liverpool on 19 May 2013 and contemplated his retirement, he had very little to prove. His 737th appearance for his one and only club cemented his status as an Anfield legend, but he had already laid down plans to help others less fortunate than himself. In 2010 Carragher decided to donate the proceeds raised from his testimonial to setting up his own charitable foundation. The money from the testimonial gave the Carragher 23 Foundation an initial fund of over £1m and created an endowment that is to be used to for contributions to local charities, clubs and community initiatives in perpetuity.

The 37-year-old admits to harbouring early doubts. “To be honest, at first I was a bit unsure about what it entailed but that’s why using the community foundation route was crucial as you have a team of people at hand when you need help.”

Born and bred in Bootle, one of the more deprived areas of Merseyside, Carragher wanted to give something significant back to where he grew up. “I’m no different to other working class players. As one of the lucky ones who could provide for my family, I also wanted to help those from my area. Our original aim was giving the kids on Merseyside a chance to do something – to give them the opportunity and then it was up to them to make the most of it.”

The 23 Foundation has developed over the last six years, broadening its remit geographically so it now has global reach and giving donations beyond the world of sport. It now helps local schools, food banks and community centres, including The Brunny, Carragher’s youth club when he was growing up.

Further proof of his commitment to helping causes close to his heart was provided by the largest single donation made by the foundation, the £100,000 donated to the new community neo-natal unit of Alder Hey, the children’s hospital where he spent the first six weeks of his life. “I was born with a condition called gastrochisis and needed an operation as a baby. That’s why I always felt the need to help because of what they did for me in the first couple of months of my life. It’s nice to see the Alder Hey develop into becoming one of the best facilities for children in the world.”

The donation to Alder Hey stood out as the 23 Foundation tends to “make smaller contributions of around £2,000 to £3,000 to a wide range of people rather than larger amounts for a select few.” Carragher acknowledges that one of the most testing aspects of heading up the foundation is turning people down. “I always find it difficult to say no and that’s where the foundation helps because of all the regulations about how to apply and how much to apply for etc.”

The football world has changed dramatically since Carragher joined Liverpool in 1990 and the steady influx of foreign players inevitably means there is less connection with the local community. Although Carragher points out that many of the foreign players understand the role they could have. “We used to have Sami Hyypia and Jan Molby, who were very aware of their place in the community and now there’s Lucas Leiva. You can tell by the way they speak, how much it means to them. If someone has got their heart in the right place it stands out a mile.”

John Hudson, the PFA’s director of corporate social responsibility, agrees. “While it is more difficult for the foreign players to understand the community issues because they are new to the area, most of them are fully aware of the importance of putting something back.” Hudson singles out Carragher as a paragon. “He is a great example, he was a great player, a role model and he is now a great pundit.” Hudson also mentions James Milner, Alan Shearer and Stiliyan Petrov as footballers who are committed to helping good causes.

One of the beneficiaries of the 23 Foundation was the Liverpool Homeless FC, who received a £7,500 grant that was primarily used to build a 3G pitch.