Kick Them Out!

Front page: A training session for Kick It Out, run by Paul Elliott MBE (far left), a legendary ex-footballer whose career was cut short by injury. © Magnus Andersson

In the age of dinosaurs sports commentators spouting sexist comments, yes Andy Gray and Richard Keys, look away now, it's always nice to get to work for the good guys on the other side of the fence, those that realise that if you want to make a difference, you have to be that difference.

Bearing in mind the sports presenter events of last week, it is with some pleasure to announce that a picture (above) which I took just over a year ago while working with Kick It Out was chosen for the front page of their latest Annual Report. The report itself was launched at the House of Lords in Westminster last month, an event which I also covered.

As a staffer on a local newspaper you end up getting a lot of front pages so the excitement tends to wear off a little, but when its through one of your own freelance contacts and you are proud to play a (albeit small) part in the important work that is being done, it feels good!

Lord Herman Ouseley chatting to my buddy Francis Nkwain and Benoit Assou-Ekotto of Tottenham Hotspur FC at the House of Lords. © Magnus Andersson

And while Kick It Out's primary concern over the last 17 years has been against racism, they have always worked against all forms of discrimination in football. Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, said: "This indicates a lack of understanding by individuals at the forefront of sports broadcasting who are revered and respected by many, and hints at wider issues about sexism in society."

Getting the Kick It Out's Annual Review 2009-10 cover was a nice ending to last years output. The ousting of a couple of old 'experts' in the new year was a bonus. Onwards 2011, kick all the bigots out! :)

Full Kick It Out Annual Report 2009-10 here.

Brave new world and all that

UK front pages from last week, the day after Barack Obama takes to the Oval office. © Magnus Andersson 2009

The blog inertia has lasted for two weeks! Apologies if you've stopped by and found nothing but there simply hasnt been any spare time, so perhaps the inertia should be labelled as life happens...there will be more posting in the near future, promise.

Worth waiting for

Todays front pages in the UK (click for larger version) © Magnus Andersson

I initially didnt plan to stay up to watch the coverage of the US presidential election results, but as soon as I started watching it I couldnt stop. As Ohio went to Barack Obama the writing was on the wall.

The staunch Republican John Bolton, a maniac war supporter, was one of the pundits on BBC's coverage and a sweet sight to behold as he increasingly got angrier and more irritated as it was becoming clear that Obama was Gobama!


© Steve Bell 2008

By the time McCain came on to give his acceptance-of-defeat speech I was getting a bit tired. When Barack finally came on to deliver his speech I promptly fell asleep on the sofa, missing the main event through sheer exhaustion! I think the time was 4 or 5am, but sure I am not. My back is all sore thanks to the small sofa and I slept through the alarm, only saved by the fact that the electricity meter started beeping at 8:15am, warning me to top it up.

Link to Steve Bell's cartoon here.

Craze 24

© Magnus Andersson

This week has kind of flown by, not too many jobs, just nice and steady. Nothing noteworthy either though, no BIG news coming our way at the moment, at least photographically, so here's a nice little shoot instead which I did before I went off on holiday. Craze 24 is an up and coming South London rapper, real nice guy too, we had a good session down in his studio. Check out his myspace. Also, its always fun to shoot musicians because they wanna be seen, they're not scared of the camera. Makes my job so much easier!


© Magnus Andersson

He used to be into some bad things you know, but music is taking him to a different place. This (below) ran on the front page but sadly I was away, I didnt even know it was going to be on the splash but there you go. Claire (sub) did good as always though, so big up to her.


© Magnus Andersson

Skate or die already!

I managed to get the PDF's (converted to jpeg here) on yesterdays skate feature, here's how it ended up looking. Sub Damian did a good job! Above is the front page to our Friday entertainment section; Pulse, below is the double truck inside.

My fifteen seconds

Thanks for all the texts and emails about my Metro appearance. For those of you who hasn't seen it/avoided it, look away now.



OK, you can also see a clip of it on BBC here, I appear at 27 seconds, bottom right, raising my lens. Possibly only available to UK users. Thanks Valroy for sending me the scan!

Front page material...me?

Andy Murray runs for a ball during his match with Gasquet yesterday. © Magnus Andersson

Did you see the match that Andy Murray played last night? It was a blinder, he came from two sets down to win the next three and I was down in the photo pit taking pictures.

I've had a few texts this morning saying that I'm on the front page of the Metro, so for those of you in London who commute on public transport today, I can only apologise.