SKY-HIGH wages have put footballers in the forefront when it comes to splashing money around.

The world's most expensive cars (selections of them - not just one at a time), suits that cost thousands and holidays at resorts that charge more per day than most people earn in several years draw plenty of public attention.

Some also buy houses which are virtually stately homes with their own estates and have taken over the role in the community occupied by the titled gentry a few centuries ago.

As many footballers who are not in the World Cup squad rush off to spend even more publicly during their holiday break, it is indeed refreshing to note how Blackburn Rovers striker Andy Cole is thinking of others.

He is jetting off to Zimbabwe to check on the work being carried out by the foundation he set up two years ago after being horrified by the plight of children eking out an existence living in cardboard boxes on the streets. Many are orphans whose parents have fallen victim to the AIDS epidemic.

Andy Cole could not forget what he saw and his foundation has since raised more than £250,000 to fund improvements including the renovation of a children's home, construction of a dairy and improvement to water supplies.

Cole is part of a growing band of footballers who want to put something back into a world that has provided them such opulent lifestyles.

Another is Sunderland striker Niall Quinn who hopes to raise £1m for charity with his testimonial tomorrow. A fortnight ago Gary Kelly's Leeds United v Celtic testimonial raised about £700,000 for cancer charities.

This effort is a far cry from the lifestyle parodied in TV's Footballers' Wives and the sort of extravagence the Beckhams have become well known for.

Although even their £3,000 a head party yesterday will raise much-needed funds for the NSPCC.