As previously reported, DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell took part in a football match to benefit the devastating wildfires in Southern California. Campbell's team Hollywood United FC played against the LA Galaxy on November 4 at the campus of California State University - Dominguez Hills. His team lost 12-4! Campbell's diary from the event reads as follows:

"No, that was not a rugby score. I guess there's a moral to the story in there somewhere. How is it that old show-biz adage goes; never work with children and animals? Well, these kids were both. I'll have you know that I feel pretty fit for a 45 year old guy. And, for a guitar player, I feel pretty good about my football chops, too. But it's a whole different world when you come face-to-face with professional athletes - especially those young enough (and this is strictly a technicality, you understand) to be you grandchildren. I'm not sure whose bright idea it was to go toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Galaxy, but with benefit of hindsight, I think it's safe to say that it likely wasn't said individuals best thinking.

Hollywood United Football Club is a pretty serious organization in that we have numerous ex-pro soccer players from around the world. Our big guns include; Frank Leboeuf, Eric Wynalda, Alexi Lalas, Richard Gough, Joe-Max Moore and several others of equal repute. Of course that's not all the club is about in that the core of the team are ordinary ex-pat guys who love to play the beautiful game and do so very well, I may add. And then of course there's the so-called celebrity aspect. I guess if you're being charitable, I would fall into that category. Other 'real' celebs that we have include club president Anthony LaPaglia, Jimmy Jean-Louise, Costas Mandylor and a few other assorted thesps together with musicians Billy Duffy, Ian Astbury (both THE CULT) and Steve Jones (SEX PISTOLS), to name but a few.

Added to this tally, we went further still to reinforce our ranks for this ill-fated game by bringing in even more ex-pro ringers in the form of Mauricio Cienfuegos and Jorge Campos. Feel free to google any of the aforementioned names and you'll see that, with exception of the thesps and musicians, that's a serious arsenal of players - albeit of the later in life, ex-player variety. Still, should be a good pub team, don't you think?

Well, that's what we thought. The trouble with that rationale is that the opposition in question was a long, long way from being a pub team. Let's review what should have been patently obvious from the start about the L.A. Galaxy: They are, of course, a professional MLS team, used to competing week in, week out against other professional MLS teams. Their roster includes many and various 'current' (read: young) superstar players, including, but not limited to, Cobi Jones, Landon Donovan and, most famous of all, David Beckham.

But the game is not just about talent - far from it. It's about team work and organization and spirit etc., etc. But more than anything else, football is about being able to run, and run...and then run some more! For the benefit of those that don't know, the game lasts 90 minutes. Trust me, that's a LOT of running. And running, let's face it, is a youthful pursuit.

And thus, I believe, was our undoing, for while the pros in our numbers had the skills and experience to match what was thrown at them, what they (and we) didn't have was the aerobic capacity to keep repelling these youthful brats over the course of the 90 minutes. To give you some perspective, let me tell you about the juxtaposition I found myself in during my 25 or so minutes in the game. By the time I was thrown to the lions, the game was well and truly lost. Frankly, it was damage control at best - all hands to the pump, as we simply did all we could to keep the brats from practically setting up camp on our goal line! And it was there that I, the oldest player on the field, came to realize that I had been charged with the responsibility of repelling the youngest of the brats, a fabulously talented young chap by the name of Sesay. Young Sesay just turned 17. That makes me twice his age....plus 11! I have two words that immediately came to mind; 'fuck that!'

This game was, of course, a charity event to raise money for the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to benefit the victims of the recent Southern California fire storms. Good job, too, because aside from that worthy cause, we had no business being there. It would be much like any of the Galaxy brats stepping out on stage with Def Leppard any being able to effectively do what we do with our instruments and voices. Come to think of it, that's a great way to get my own back; I issue an open invitation to any and all L.A. Galaxy to come join Def on stage for a song at any time in the future. I promise it won't hurt a bit."

More photos can be viewed here.