When raising money for charity is the goal, go hard or go home

Missing the football season? Can't wait until it all kicks off again in August? Whether you follow Premier League champions Liverpool or Boreham Wood from the National League, summer can be a long, difficult time without the anticipation of 3pm on a Saturday.

- 

And this year, there isn't even the distraction of a World Cup or a Euros to distract us.

So if you're uninspired by the FIFA World Cup Championship (and who would blame you) and not fussed about the Nations League, there's always Soccer Aid.

Okay, so there isn't a wealth of talent to feast your eyes on. But on the plus side you can expect a few goals, especially in the second half when there's a celebrity between the sticks.

And so it transpired that last week, Soccer Aid made it on to our telly. For those unfamiliar with the concept, this was the 14th edition of the annual charity football match, played at Old Trafford, between England and a World XI. Both teams are a mix of celebrities and former footballers and - spoiler alert - this year the World XI won 5-4. But that's not really the point - the real winner was the children's charity Unicef, which benefited to the tune of £15m.

It's not just a good-natured kickaround-just ask former Lionesses skipper Steph Haughton after she was on the receiving end of a tackle from former Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci that is perhaps best described as 'agricultural'.