Life was good back then. I was personally gearing myself up to take yet another trip to Japan before the 2002 World Cup to document but before that, the UEFA Champions League was starting again. At that time I worked with Scott Wilson at EMPICS. We were good. Very good. We could process film faster than anyone else and as long as I had the shot, it was almost a certainty that pictures would be published in hungry thriving national newspapers.

Ten years ago on September 10th 2001, a photographer could take all the hand luggage he wanted on an aeroplane including packs of ready made chemicals, film scanners and of course big heavy expensive lenses.

The events in the USA on September 11th 2001 changed all that. Sadly, things have never been the same since.

I had been out the night before drinking. I had got to bed VERY late. Half of the reason was because I knew that I had a night flight to Athens the following day and for body clock reasons it was best to stay up and get used to the time difference.

Normally my house is filled with music or at least has the TV on in the corner. For some reason today it was all quiet. I was planning on meeting Scott at about 8pm. Two hours before my predicted departure from home, my mobile telephone rang. It was my boss Neal.

Uncharacteristically he asked how I was. Perhaps he had not spoken to me since my man flu a few weeks ago but I assured him that I was OK. In a bizarre fashion he told me to look after Scott when we traveled to Athens this evening and if I did not feel comfortable going, then there was certainly no pressure on my flying.

I listened and was very puzzled as he continued to remind me on how I was the senior photographer and should anything happen, then I should use my experience and look after Scott.

In my then customary telephone frank manner I just stormed the conversation by saying, “What the fuck are you on about!?”

In all sincerity I had no idea.

Neal then proceeded to tell me about the Twin Towers being hit by planes in New York. I had been to New York – knew the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty but I was not familiar with the Twin Towers.

I stopped Neal once more. “I’m off to Athens….” he then cut me short and continued about the Pentagon being hit. He asked if I had seen the Pentagon being hit.

I said I had been out the previous night and had not watched any TV. I assumed there had been a film on or something that had caught his imagination.

I simply did not have a clue as to why he was calling me and said so in not so many frank words!

He told me to put the TV on. As I did, Sky News showed a plane going into a sky scraper. Now I knew what the Twin Towers were. I had seen them before, in real life but only knew them as the World Trade Centre in lower Manhatton.

I was silent as I thought I was watching a movie but it was Sky News.

I now understood the phone call. I regretted not having the TV on before. My news journalistic background told me that this was something big even though I had only known of it for about 12 seconds.

Neal told me to get to Luton Airport straight away as most of the flights had been cancelled or some were going early.

By 8.30pm I was with Scott at Luton. The airport was quiet. Ghostlike. Everyone was cautious and slow. There were no family holiday tourist type people panicing over travel. It was quite nice actually!

We got to the check in desk and were told that we HAD to check in everything because of new government legislation passed only hours ago.

We explained that we had state of the art scanning equipment, computers and lenses containing glass more fragile than crystals. We were told scissors were banned – Scott put them in our clothes!

Some how we put the scanner in a suitcase and wrapped our jackets around it to keep it safe. My lenses went into the hold. We were both worried. Very worried. Almost petrified. Neither of us had never done anything like this before as we had always carried these valuable items on board with us.

We were told that our flight was very empty. We could see that not many passengers were flying that evening. Items were being removed from passengers in the security section and put into plastic bags then bound up and put in the aircraft hold.

We had to remove our shoes as we went through security. We had never done this before.

We eventually got on the plane, it was only 20% full. All people were talking about was the Twin Towers and slowly today was being branded 9-11.

Normally when we went to Athens we would sleep but today we were kept up by people chatting about one thing and one thing only. We sailed through the normally hectic Athens Airport and got a cab after checking that our luggage was OK. The scanner was safe.

We got to the hotel and CNN provided us with information we had missed prior to leaving the UK. We now knew who Al Qaeda were. We understood why knives and scissors were not allowed in aeroplanes in case they were used by hijackers.

It was getting close to 10am. Neither of us had slept. We decided to get into our hotel beds but kept CNN on.

Then my mobile telephone rang again.

It was UEFA asking if I had a number for Sir Alex Ferguson!

Unfortunately I replied NO! Apparently the hotel Manchester Untied were staying in had banned incoming calls as the playing staff and coaches were asleep. I was then told a big secret and was asked two times to tell the UEFA official that I understood what he was saying but I would not tell anyone.

UEFA had decided to cancel the UEFA Champions League for that day. They needed to tell Manchester United but simply could not contact them! I did however have the phone number of the Man U photographer John Peters who I instantly called.

Sounding like I do when I’m half asleep I said to John I’d call back in two minutes and let him wake up first. That I did and I got a more awake person on the other end of the telephone upon my second call!

I told him the news and said that Ferguson had to contact UEFA urgently.

Twenty minutes later I got a call thanking me for my efforts but I was still not allowed to tell anyone until it was officially announced.

Scott was good at keeping secrets and we ordered a spaghetti bolognese each for a mid morning breakfast/lunch as we were still glued to CNN.

Without being able to call back to the office we decided to get a return flight off our own backs and within 5 minutes had booked to return to Luton later that afternoon. Subsequently the office called saying that they had heard that the UEFA Champions League was going to be cancelled along with all the horse racing.

There was simply no sport going on.

Myself and Scott both looked at each other wondering if the other was thinking the same as I called Manchester United once more in their airport hotel to ask what they were up to. They were going home too. We got the OK to go and visit them so got a cab and arrived just after midday. There were no TV crews. No photographers. No journalists. Just us.

First Sebastian Veron and Giggs left the hotel and got on an awaiting coach. Then Keane and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Beckham tried to avoid us but Mr Ferguson was very diplomatic and smiled and waved as I took pictures and Scott just watched from my side. Fabien Barthez left also and before long I had filled a roll of film and United were on their way back to the airport. My last frame was one of Mr Ferguson on his mobile telephone.

It did not feel that we had captured a world exclusive but we had. Very leisurely we returned back to the hotel. By this time we were getting tired so in true form we got some more food which resulted in more Spaghetti and strawberry ice cream on room service.

We processed the film together. I did the washing up and dried all the equipment as Scott dried the film. Without any words spoken  - we were still glued to CNN – and the first negative was placed in the scanner and scanned in to the computer.

The caption read…”Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt leave the team hotel after all European Cup matches were called off after the tragedy in the United States”

At this time we still didn’t know the significance of 9-11, the label of the Twin Towers or anything. On CNN people were still calling it a tragedy so we copied them!

We scanned in and then sent a picture of every Manchester Untied player that I had taken a picture. A third spaghetti order was placed on room service as the office began calling us back to already say that we had saved the day for the sport pages in the UK and Europe.

Sport had been cancelled. This was a news story about sportsmen affected by 9-11.

If memory serves me correctly we got over 50 newspaper publications in Europe during the following days.

We got a flight home and I was in my local pub at about the time the game should have been kicking off.

All I could speak about was the hullabaloo at the airport on how we could not take ANYTHING on board an aeroplane anymore.

Subsequently the picture editor from VG – Verdens Gang in Norway personally thanked me for the picture of Solksjaer as it was the only image that involved a Norwegian affected by 9-11! Laurent Blanc was plastered all over the French press as images of Osama bin Laden got on the front pages.

As a result we then started to drive more when working in Europe and only flew long haul.

Because of the travel restrictions, I was almost forced to turn to digital photography as it involved not taking a very fragile film scanner with me in the hold of an aeroplane.

With the greatest of fear I establish that today’s flight is on another little aeroplane. No 737 or Airbus today. Upon checking in, I wake up – I have to… and with my mind buzzing after receiving another text from back home about more pictures being published in the UK press I decided invest in some of my profits for a safe passage to New York.

For $45 dollars I get an upgrade to First Class. I normally prefer to fly economy and save my money. I sleep on flights, thus what is the point of being treated to a slightly more attractive air stewardess and sitting in a slightly more comfy seat?

But my purchase is an investment, I know how things work and with my Priority Boarding Card I was the second in line to enter the aircraft. No eagle-eyed airport staff waiting to pounce on me this time. Money talks in the USA. If you have money you can get what you want when you want it seems.

My equipment is my number one priority and for £25 its a no brainer!

I left the cattle class passengers having to check their bags in as I met the most gay air steward I have ever met in my life called Andy. I know some guys back home who would have loved him. Suggesting that I can sprawl out anywhere in first class and not even worry about my big lens in my bag, I was fast asleep before he could lay his hands on my shoulder again.

Next thing I knew I was at the JFK Airport once more. One more flight to go and I would be back at Heathrow. I drove straight through Manhattan for another time. The first time I did it I was actually scared. Not frightened but scared of getting lost. The skyscrapers are so high that the Sat Nav does not pick up the Satellites. Being a lost soul on 5th Street with Broadway staring at you in the face is a bit spooky when even with a map you wonder how on earth you are going to get out of the place!

I have now done this about 7 times and now know short cuts to the escape hatch which is the Lincoln Tunnel.

Parking up at the Red Bulls Arena in the same spot as the previous game, I headed to Harrison station and got the train to the World Trade Center. The new towers are beginning to grow, with no cameras on me, and no time to sightsee I eventually found the back street where the MLS were handing out media passes.

I could now relax. with pass in pocket, I walked through Soho and Greenwich – the more I discover New York gradually the scale indicating my love of this place grows, though very slowly.

Sitting around for 2 hours at the stadium after the most time-wasting journey every back to Harrison in New Jersey where the Red Bulls play, I met up with The Sun photographer Richard Pelham. We eventually get inside after a vigorous security check which included switching on all my cameras and showing that they worked.

Most people hate Manchester United. I don’t – I have supported them since I was about 7 when I refused to like Liverpool when they were winning all their titles. For all the hatred towards the Red Devils, you simply have to admire their marketing and understand that they have grown from within and not from sugar daddies like at Chelsea.

I wished that a few of my Swiss friends at UEFA were here. Manchester United had got everything right. Selling shirts outside to the hoards of Mexican fans loving Chicharito fans – pity he wasn’t playing, then there were the pockets of South Korean fans screaming at Ji-Sung Park who waved back with glee. The pitchside advertising magnetising fans to sign up to the Man U Facebook page – everything was geared by the Old Trafford club to exploit as much as they could from their US tour. The Manchester United religion is growing. The Manchester United photographers comment that unlike last time where there was only a handful of fans loitering outside hotels waiting for autographs, it’s now like Beetle Mania with fans in their hundreds wanting a glimpse of the stars myself and others take for granted.

The Serbs cheered at Vidic and the Americans wooed and heyed at Rooney as the likes of Michael Owen and Anderson went un-noticed.

Captaining the MLS Allstar team was David Beckham. Managed by the ex-Notts County manager  Hans Backe who had the task of picking 11 players including some from the fans ballot - http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/ballot-2011 they played quite well I felt.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Beckham was awesome. It’s a pity there is tackling in a game of football otherwise he would still be the best player in the world – yes even better than Messi.

Ji-Sung Park has Terry Henry in his pocket. Man U ruled OK.

This was a stern test for Sir Alex’s team. The MLS really wanted to give a good account of themselves but with the magnificent Ashley Young again playing like I have never seen him play for Aston Villa, I really want to see the team who will win the Premier League next season should United not walk it.

With nice stewards in a nice stadium, it was a very pleasant evening. At the end of the game I said my goodbye’s to Richard who was traveling by Amtrak train to Washington DC as I began to edit and send my pictures from my trusty Apple Mac Book Pro.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Yet again my pictures were met with amazement by the American photographers. None had spotted the linesman fall over – and cries of AWESOME made me wish that I had left with Richard through sheer embarrassment.  I had just done a normal days work that I would have probably graded myself as C+… but to the Americans they had not seen pictures like it!

Once again I churned out the line that I don’t shoot baseball and blah blah blah but they weren’t having any of it.

I left happy, not cause me ego had been polished but I knew that back home the pictures the UK papers would receive would be pretty weak.

After a drive to my hotel in Edison – about 40 minutes south towards Washington DC I went to sleep knowing that the Daily Mirror knew what a football picture was compared to a soccer picture and it would be printed the next day. The time difference was annoying, I could have done far better but time was quite literally not on my side.

© DAILY MIRROR

I was beginning to want proper Euro League football again. Like West Bromwich Albion and Manchester Untied, I too needed a now sterner test. I need to be challenged too and sit again next to my colleagues who I know will push me at every game to the point where if I don’t get the picture, then I don’t get paid.

My next day in New Jersey resulted in an unexpected trip back to New York. I so wish that I had contacted my friends and met up – New York is such a lonely place when you are on your own. I can cope with being alone in California with ease but NYC is a place where you need to bounce off someone.

I somehow ended up in B+H Photo again.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

A Mecca for Photographers. You know when you are only a block away as people with Leica’s are spotted! To me it’s no Yodobashi Camera Store in Tokyo but its a fun place anyway.

Scarily I headed straight for the TV cameras again. Prices of ENG cameras are almost affordable. I question if I want to be a photographer or follow my dreams of being a film cameraman. I go to the darkroom section in B+H. I never confess at my photography skills but I was a damn good colour printer. I look at all the equipment and chemicals – I so want to print again but equally being lazy just am so happy in sending a picture on my laptop and then do something else.

I find the synth and keyboards section. Just like in Tokyo, I put on a pair of headphones and create amazing sounds using technology I so wish I had in my house at home. My keyboard playing is terrible though I did get to Grade 6 theory in music and I’m soon quite literally working with a Swedish man with amazing dreadlocks adding sublime 5ths and 7th to his catchy melodies in the middle of a shop in New York City.

The shop assistants are less patient than the ones in Tokyo who let you stay all day playing with their products. I decide to leave.

I drive back to Washington DC. In LA they were complaining that it was a ‘bummer summer” – on the East Coast its like a sauna. 107F my car recorded. The air conditioning could not cope. One sure way of getting brown arms is having the windows open driving for 5 hours in bad traffic with the iPod connected to yet another stunning Rental Car music system. My left arm glowing red, I wonder if anyone will comment why my left arm is so much more browner than my right!

More fun chats and mad messages on Facebook to fellow photographers and people who I so miss back home. I know in 3 days time I will probably be in England, suffering from hayfever regretting not getting off my backside and walking around Washington DC – seeing the White House again but the biggest bed ever and a massive flat screen TV is too much to miss out on. My body is tired. Although I need a run. I need the gym, I also need rest.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Beckham helped pay for my World Cup in Germany 2006. He has certainly helped with my agencies finances on this jaunt. Like my celebrity photographers comment, I join them in saying … Thanks David!

- though from my knowledge to date – my ‘sports photography’ has been outshone by my ‘celebrity’ and ‘moments’ photography by a massive 9-1. For the last match, I will really try to concentrate on recording sports action again.

I then think about going straight to Germany – already I get annoyed in having to do domestic football in England upon finding out that Borussia Dortmund play Hamburg. In days long gone after a trip away for so long I would have had a small break or gone to somewhere where I wanted to be (usually Tokyo) but times have changed and I need to dig deep and conquer the EPL again.

I may have a sun-tan, have browner arms than all my friends who have been to Spain for two weeks relaxing, but I certainly have no holiday.

One big lie in then another epic exhibition match for the America paying public – this time Man U v Barca before a self-imposed sleepless night.

Then I fly back and hope to sleep like a long en route to Heathrow… that reminds me, where DID I park my car!!?

When my friends and loved ones go on holiday, I expect that everything goes into the hold of an aircraft and if the swimming costume and sun tan oils don’t arrive then hey ho – you can always get some more when you are there. However for the traveling photographer if equipment does not end up at the destination then there is simply no point in being there. Hence most photographers take on board with them their lenses and cameras. Also through Airline law, they do not insure the equipment. Another vital reason that gear is kept with you at all times.

Up until now, traveling in the USA has been a breeze. American travellers usually take two items of hang baggage with them, thus no one ever questions me with my Think Tank bag housing my 500mm lens, two camera bodies, other smaller lenses and of course my lap top which I use to transmit my images to their various destinations.

That is until I went to Columbus via Chicago. Leaving LA on a night flight was fine. I woke up at 6ish as the plane touched down in Ohio leaving me with an hour to wonder around the huge Chicago airport before boarding a connecting flight to Columbus.

I got to the gate and sneaked the Think Tank past the airline representative as I was aware that she was making passengers put all bags in the hold. OK if it was just my clothes then I simply would not mind as I now the chances of the bags getting lost would be virtually none as they would have gone straight onto the aircraft, bypassing the baggage hub where things get lost, put on wrong airlines and in the past be subject to things being stolen.

This was a wee small plane. No room for baggage to put in the over head lockers. I prepared myself for another situation.

I was greeted with another “Hi – how are you today?” by a smiling air stewardess with oh so white teeth – who then launched into a…”its Federal law that your bag has to go in the hold Sir…”

In my head I thought of two words – NO WAY!

I explained that first that the airline would not insure the contents and most importantly that my bag contained X amount of dollars of expensive glass and finely tuned camera equipment. Any bump or bang would render them useless.

“Its too early to argue,” she went on..”They are going in the hold – its Federal law.”

OK I get this all the time, I’m used to it, but being in America the do this or else attitude was growing thin with my patience. An English man I met at the airport in LA said a man was shot dead in his street last week as he failed to stop for a shouting Policeman – who simply shot him dead!

I spotted the door to cockpit wide and open. From my experience in flying I know that the pilot has the final say – I lent my head around and quickly asked if I could keep my cameras on board – the pilot all dressed up and wearing a cap smiled and said “Sure Sir…” Music to my ears.

I put my belongings in a compartment where the pilot kept his things and sat down by a window expecting to have another hours kip before I got to Columbus.

However a Japanese man then sat next to me. After a brief Konichiwa, we ended up chatting until we got to the baggage pick up in Columbus. A family friend of his was the Japanese wife of German footballer Pierre Littbarski who I had actually met sometime ago in Yokohama, the home town where my new friend once lived.

No cloudy morning skies like in California here, at 9am the sky was dark blue and it was already a baking hot day. Not wanting to encounter another argument in a hotel in checking in too early – rules are rules in America – I headed off to the Columbus Crew Stadium in anticipation of documenting it in the glorious light.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Without any welcome checks of ID a kind soul let me in and I was left to wonder around the stadium for an hour.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

This was one of the first, if not the first purpose built stadia for the MLS. I calculated that I must have been here in 1999. After I could not shoot anymore I went to the hotel, checked in (it was now the appropriate time), put on the TV and the next thing I knew was that it was 4pm. No chance of topping up the tan today!

A headed over to the stadium once more and went to the press box where I saw the mad American photographer with a tripod and all the gear you could ever wish for. I have encountered him before. All he talked about was his gear and I quickly got bored and went pitchside and was let to roam around freely. Heaven!

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

A frequent question is – do we get to meet the players…? The answer is always no unless we are working especially for a club. From the sublime of being allowed to wonder freely in a stadium to the ridiculous contrast of not being able to do our jobs which has been well documented, I came across Alan Pardew – what a nice man he is.

He could tell that I was English and I asked how the Newcastle tour had gone. Even in England I would never be able to speak to the coach like this and valued every minute that I had with him. Ian the Newcastle photographer then came along and he was surprised to see me, it was nice though seeing a familiar face. He enthused about their trip to Kansas whilst I rebounded enthusiastic tales of WBA’s trip to Portland.

With the customary playing of the USA National Anthem and then God Save the Queen – played twice much to the amusement of the Newcastle bench… the game kicked off.

After about 5 minutes it resembled another FA like Cup tie with a Premier League team against a League One outfit. Even without Joey Barton who was not allowed entry into the USA, Newcastle eased past their opponents.

Again all I could do was question and think about the mentality of the Americans. In a previous Manchester United game, one player – again knowing that I was English – commented on the fact that he would have preferred to be playing in a hostile stadium against Leeds, Millwall or Galatasary instead of the niceness of the American crowd. But as I encountered with a security man in LA, some Americans are very anti-English so it appears. Nothing wrong there really, some English don’t like the French, in football the Belgians don’t like the Dutch and of course the Scottish hate the English and vice versa.

In Europe, the abuse and the chants I can understand. Even when Rangers fans ‘comment’ on The Pope, winding up the Celtic crowd, they say it with venom but should the two parties be in a Glaswegian bar the day after or especially on a Scotland international supporting their country it is almost swept under the carpet.

Not in America.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

The Crew fans call themselves not the Ultras or anything like that like the Japanese do in trying to mimmic European football but the Hudson Street Hooligans. Skinheads and knuckle dusters were not to be seen – just a bunch of people as though they had quite literally walked off the street trying to support their team.

However their songs angered me as it did a journalist that I chatted to after about it all – and he bought up the subject.

In the European mind the English mock the Germans for losing two wars, the French sing all kinds of crazy things and the Poles simply hate the Germans.. but dare I say it with intelligence?

My point is that yet again I had to listen to idiots slaughter “my Queen”. Because in American culture you serve your country, at every sporting event the National Anthem is sung, in my opinion they are scarily nationalistic. But to assume that in the UK we abide by our laws in serving The Queen is completely foreign to me.

From traveling I have nothing against those who live in Buckingham Palace. I know that they help attract a vast amount of tourists eager to see where they live – equally in every court there is a coat of arms, when I think about it we do ‘serve’ the Queen but not in the same ways as the Americans believe.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Perhaps at the next international and England fans sing anti President Nicolas Sarkozy songs to the French then I may have to re-think my philosophy but although the Americans and English speak the same language we are very foreign and different to each other as I have found out.

The opinion of the culture of America towards us English is so wrong! I used to photograph Diana a lot. I however have never seen The Queen in real life. Like other English fans and journalists that I talked to we were ALL utterly bemused at this ‘attack’ on us – one Toon fan in my hotel said he never cared about The Queen but as the Americans had wound him up so much – just like me! – she was suddenly the most important thing in his life and how dare the Yanks slaughter her through crappy chants!

For the record Newcastle won 3-0. I think it was 3-0. I was not worried about shooting goals as due to the time difference back home no one would have cared about this game.

I had now been to the Columbus Crew Stadium twice. Just like the first time at the end of the game I simply went back to my hotel and I never got to go to the inviting city centre with its huge skyscrapers. Perhaps third time lucky.

It was nearly 3 o’clock when I decided to go to sleep after watching US TV – The American Office v The UK Office – American wins hands down!

I had to be up in 2 hours.. was it really worth going to sleep? With the room air con on full blast I shut my eyes expecting to be awake with the annoying sound of it, but quickly drifted off to sleep…

Paying more for Alamo Car Rentals I knew I would get my car quicker today. Too many times I have been in a que for two hours waiting to pick up a car at the ever busy LAX Airport. Pre-planning is vital.

Bang on schedule I paid my $30 as I entered the LA Galaxy parking lot – nearly £20 – only in America do the media pay for parking and as I have mentioned at soccerball it’s so much cheaper than baseball.

Within seconds I met up with Bryan Swanson from Sky Sports News and his cameraman Alex who lives down the road from me. Alex had been on tour with Man City and it was great to see him.

© FACEBOOK

- if its good enough for Her Majesty’s press back home to download Victoria Beckham’s facebook pictures then its good enough for me to publish Alex with the LA Galaxy mascot Cozmo.

Within seconds the Man City press officer said hello. It was great to be in familiar company.

Chilled out stewards, bright sunshine, too many people to talk to – sorry Jason and David, nothing personal we should have gone out after the game – I was soon pitchside chatting to Brian Kidd about California, City’s tour and what I had been up to. Not that I would have expected have spoken to Sir Alex but yesterday seemed so far away.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Man City wore a new kit. Apparently the fans don’t like it. The sun was harsh and high in the sky. Superb for sunbathing, terrible for doing stock photography.

Balotelli got his name on the scoresheet with a penalty. It was already looking like a FA Cup tie between a Premier League and a lower league club and there was only going to be one winner.

In fairness – total fairness – Balotelli had the ball and was flagged offside. All he did was showboat, did an about turn and attempted to back heel the ball into the back of the net but missed!

Dutch Nigel went crazy. As did Mancini taking him off which resulted in a blazing row on the touchline. If I had of had BBC Radio Five Live in my ear I would have been even more switched on but going through the motions and working on auto pilot I simply snapped the goings on.

DAILY MIRROR

Bit of a news story? I was aware of the deadlines back home and loaded up my pictures into my computer with the ever lovely Glaswegian TV presenter Ross King chatting to me about Glasgow, Partik Thistle and my team Clyde.

The match was already getting dull. I got up and ran to the photo room as wiring out pitchside was not happening. Smiling stewards knowing I was going to send pictures opened doors and offered me drinks, such another contrast to yesterday.

I sent four pictures in less than one minute and returned to continue shooting the first half.

THE GUARDIAN

Back home I would not have had a picture published as EVERYONE would have got a picture of this. Only myself and my colleague from The Sun knew what was going on leaving the American sports shooters blissfully unaware of the goings on.

Yet again, I want to state that I don’t know how to shoot baseball but even after seeing the front page of the Chicago Tribune showing a picture of Rooney, if one of my photographers had of even edited this and sent it out as a live picture and thus it be syndicated to clients a black eye and harsh words would have ensued.

I stayed doing Galaxy attack for 2 minutes bagging some pictures of Joe Hart before legging it up the stands to do a picture of the stadium. It was my lucky day – Galaxy scoring an equaliser as I was up there.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

The second half kind of passed me by. Boring, slow paced, City were no United.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

Beckham had disappeared with his family and was obviously on his way to New York for the MLS Allstars game v Manchester United this coming Wednesday.

The end of the game signalled a penalty shoot out.

The Shropshire connection continued as Joe Hart saved lots of penalties and then scored the winner himself. It was one of those shoot outs that went on for ages, well past the regulation 5 shots each.

© AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY

A good day at the office for publications but I’d only rate my performance as 4 out of 10. The light was bad and the game was hard work. I should have hooked up with Ross King again, perhaps he could have got me a hot date with Cat Deeley.  I checked into my favorite LA hotel and fed up with US TV watch a movie called Unknown drinking water as though it was going out of fashion. I get so dehydrated when flying these days.

The next day I just slept and slept. I should have gone and met fellow English photographer Jason who lives and works here. I regretted not going and seeing my mate Margarita in Ventura again but apart from going to LAX to sort out some bag issues, I had a lazy day. My first one for well over two weeks. I left LA in the evening on my slow but steady voyage back East to England – next stop Columbus.

Oh and for those photography nerds who insist on technical info – I think I shot the Balotelli picture at 1/1250 sec… DOES IT REALLY MATTER!?!?!?!???!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

THE NICE HAPPY POSTCARD VERSION…

Sleepless in Seattle? I slept 14 hours before heading to Chicago.

Manchester United were brilliant yet again. I don’t think anyone will touch them during the forthcoming season. I got some great pictures including a nice picture of Nani which got published in The Sun newspaper.

It was a really sunny day and it was such a shame that I could not stay longer in this great city.

THE REAL VERSION

Home of the House of Blues I was hoping to lyrically conjure up a great blog quoting Sam and Dave songs and of course Sweet Home Chicago.

Upon arriving in Chicago late in the evening – I forgot about the 2hr time difference – I checked in to my hotel and realised that I had booked number two of my choice on Expedia, the first hotel was downtown, this was most certainly not – though to be fair equi-distant from the stadium and airport.

The plan was to sleep then get up early, park the rental car at the stadium, walk around Chicago for a while and then cover the game at 4pm.

All was going well until I thought a bomb had gone off outside. I lept up and stuck my head out of my hotel window into what only can be described as a sauna. The rain was immense. No that does not sum it up. How does 6.2 inches in 2 hours sound and 24 hours later after another hot day still puddles had not evaporated sound?

The lightening show was terrific. It was impossible to sleep. At 3am, I got my waterproofs ready for the game some 13 hours later!! The TV was not working and I could not certainly sleep with what was going on outside.

As the rain eased leaving the Shell gas station opposite me resembling a lake the next thing I knew it was 10.30am.

Nervously I looked outside – cloudy but no rain – that will do me I said!

I got in the car in anticipation of being at the stadium in 30 minutes. TomTom said 28 and the man on reception said 30. No one told me that it would take nearly three hours!

Then it started again. I should be used to it by now.

When I go to MLS games the organisation is great. Marvellous. 5 Star. Anything else is simply not.

Idiots in uniforma directing traffic with absolutely no idea on where they were directing them to. It was now 14.15, any plans of a stadium feature were gone as after lots of sighing and trying not to get angry one kind soul suggested that I head to the North Gate. The North Gate I went.

Here went my sorry story once more, like a stuck record – sorry I did not come here 2 days ago to get a car parking place. I had my ‘tournament’ credentials which NONE of the idiots even recognised. I even tried the Premier League trick and showed them my EPL card… Nah. A blank piece of paper like Dr Who shows would have meant more.

I needed to get inside the stadium. David De Gea was making his debut, if I got some early pictures of him warming up I may make the last editions of the English press. This was the first game the newspapers had actually contacted me and expressed and interest in what I was doing.

Near the North Gate I saw a turning. I just turned and decided on the looking confident as though I knew where I was going look. But a inept female who looked like she has just come off the Police Academy film set said no. She could not and would not answer any of my questions.. Where SHOULD I park? Where can I park? Ill park ANYWHERE? She just wanted to wave me on back into downtown Chicago.

Now I was blocking traffic. Suddenly a college of hers was sprinting towards me. It was another traffic cop. Was he going to arrest me with his zero tolerance attitude? WIthout ANY sweet talking, smiling or anything after he uttered the immortal words “Where do you think you are going?” I pointed to the underground car park entrance that I saw in front of me. “OK then Sir, feel free..” and with a Colgate smile he stopped the traffic and waved me through.

I so wanted to reverse over the other lady but instead I floored the Kia rental car into the depths of Soldier Field Stadium. $30 was the car park fee – I didn’t care. I was finally here.

I then found myself walking with the Manchester Untied team onto the pitch. The sun came out and I started to wonder why I had taken along a spare bag containing masses amounts of plastic bags and waterproofs.

Near 7 foot 25 stone security men who were probably NFL rejects picked on the little shrew once more. All I wanted to do was take a picture of Sir Alex. Fergie had a new Nike designed shirt on too. But no. Could I try and get the numbskull to turn his head and see 15 photographers by the dugouts awaiting the arrival of the teams and understand that it is protocol for photographers to do their jobs and be there? NO!

Some people who read this always bounce back and suggest why do I not listen to the stewards and abide by their words of wisdom. The simple reason is that these idiots do not know what they were doing. FIFA and UEFA consult me with regards to what photographers need and require and after discussions and understanding from both sides there is normally a relaxed and trusting relationship between media officers and us scruffy snappers. But when soccer comes to town the Americans simply do not have a clue. I should not get angry about it but the simple reason is that my clients, the newspapers back home and my picture library want and need pictures of one of the most successful managers in football history and its not my fault if my American colleagues with their tripods and videoing things instead of snapping are not interested thus the same old argument of stay with the other photographers always comes out.

I’m past caring.

As the postcard version went, Man U were great and easily won.

I really like Chicago but was so pleased to be going back to LA where I know the Galaxy would let me do my job.