With the monumental match against Norwich this weekend I have to celebrate the Town achievements this season with a few of my favourite images recently from Portman Road, writes photographer Andy Abbott.

Bury Mercury: Daryl Murphy typically in the thick of the action in the match against Norwich City last yearDaryl Murphy typically in the thick of the action in the match against Norwich City last year (Image: Archant)

I’ve spent many days freezing in the photographers’ pits, head peering out at pitch level at some drab performance – long forgotten now as the boys in blue are so close to winning the biggest prize.

I used to gauge how good a match was by the number of rolls of film or images I took during a game – I bet the photographers this year have taken heaps! You never know what to expect when you settle down as the game starts and it is one of the most challenging assignments watching the game, managers, crowd as well as being desperate not to miss any goals.

In the age of the digital camera it is easy and you can see the photographers glued to the screens on the back of their camera bodies after each significant incident.

I used to have someone collect my films at half-time and take them back to the darkrooms for developing and printing as pictures were required early for the Green ‘Un. You never knew if you had captured a great image until long after the game ended.

So good luck to the Tractor Boys, but in the Abbott household there is turmoil. Obviously I am cheering on the Blues, having covered so many games photographically, but I have serious enemies in the camp. Mrs A was born in West Runton and along with her brother, father and grandfather were season ticket holders at that Carrow Road place. Now they have poisoned my 14-year-old son, buying him a season ticket for Christmas four years ago.

Life is going to be unbearable for one of us when all return home at teatime – someone may be sleeping in the shed come Saturday night!