In the pink: Members of the winning team, left to right, Jamie Groves, Paul Hayes, Yung Filly, Lianne Sanderson, Harry Cain (no, not the England captain) and Toby Aromolaran
Selhurst Park staged south London’s own version of Soccer Aid this week, raising £25,000 for Great Ormond Street children’s hospital.
Celebrities and ex-pro footballers took part in the Goals 4 GOSH tournament, where the Palace Pelicans faced the Crystal Koalas – the teams taking their names from wards at Great Ormond Street.
Former England women’s international Lianne Sanderson captained the winning team with ex-West Ham player Anton Ferdinand captaining the Koalas.
The Pelicans won the match 4-2, but the real winners are the young patients at Great Ormond Street.
The big match was preceded by a TikTok tournament – featuring some of the platform’s biggest names such as Cal the Dragon, Shaun Nyland, Dan Spragg, Connor Kern and Paddy Murphy – as well as a kickabout between local schools and former pros.
Goals 4 GOSH was the brainchild of Jamie Groves, the regional development director at Funeral Partners, and was staged with the support of other funeral homes in south London.
“I am delighted that the second Goals 4 GOSH tournament was another resounding success,” Groves said.
“As well as having two great teams of players, we doubled the number of people who came along to provide support with over 1,000 people in the crowd this year. The crowd created a great atmosphere, cheering on both teams.
“I have received some great feedback from the players saying how much they enjoyed the game, which was played in a great spirit. Although there were some flying tackles, we managed to get through the 90 minutes with no injuries and a lot of smiles.”
Mascot moves: there was lots to entertain the spectators at Goals 4 GOSH
Marina Barnes, from the GOSH charity, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone involved in Goals 4 GOSH this year for raising such a fantastic total to support GOSH charity.
“Thanks to the generosity of the star-studded squad, and all those who bought tickets and took part in the raffle and auction, the money raised will make a huge difference to seriously ill children from across the UK who are treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital.”
Money raised from ticket sales, as well as a raffle and auction held on the day could help fund research into pioneering new treatments for children, provide the most up-to-date medical equipment, fund support services for children and their families, and support the essential rebuilding and refurbishment of the hospital.
To support Goals 4 Gosh, visit: https://greatormondstreetgoals4gosh.muchloved.com/.
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