Mawson joins Mata initiative

SWANSEA City’s Alfie Mawson has become one of the first English players to agree to donate a percentage of his wages to charity.

The 23-year-old defender and Bournemouth’s Charlie Daniels have signed up for Juan Mata’s Common Goal initiative.

Spain and Manchester United midfielder Mata set up the charity in August, asking players to donate at least one per cent of their wages to provide financial backing to footballrelated charities.

Germany defender Mats Hummels and Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini are among the players on the continent to have pledged to join the scheme, while USA women’s internationals Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe were the first female players to back the initiative when they joined last month.

Mawson has risen from non-league football to the Premier League, as well as international recognition with England Under-21s – in barely three years, and he admits the experience of his formative years played a part in his desire to back Common Goal.

“It was only a few years ago that I was playing non-league and helping out my dad at the weekends with his market stall,” said Mawson, who has been an ever-present for the Swans side in the Premier League so far this season.

“I’m now at a great place and I want to concentrate 100 per cent on my football.

“I don’t want to cause any fuss or anything, but joining Common Goal allows me to focus on my career while forming part of something that can really help transform lives of those less fortunate. “It’s a good thing for football.” And Mata hopes the actions of the Premier League duo will provide another step forward in providing funding for charities.