Spy in the Camp | John Terry SLAPPED ME......

On this week's episode of Spy in the Camp, Neil Barnett takes us back behind the scenes at Chelsea during the José Mourinho era for another episode of Spy in the Camp, with a brilliant story involving John Terry, Salomon Kalou and the unlikely beginnings of Neil's American radio career.

During the 2000s, Neil travelled with Chelsea on a number of the club's pre-season tours of the United States, following the team through cities including Seattle, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington while working for Chelsea TV and the club's website. Those trips eventually took him to Los Angeles, where an unexpected appearance on an American football radio show produced a couple of encounters he hasn't forgotten.

While hanging around outside the room where the Chelsea players were having lunch, Neil was invited onto the radio show to help fill some airtime. Naturally, he decided to embrace Hollywood by putting on a hat and sunglasses and playing up for the audience. Unfortunately, one of the people who spotted him was Chelsea and England captain John Terry.

Terry crept up behind Neil unnoticed and slapped him on the back of his bald head as hard as he could before bursting into laughter. Neil's response was immediate: if Terry was going to do that, he could sit down and earn his keep. The Chelsea captain duly joined them for an impromptu ten-minute interview live on American radio.

But the story didn't end there. The next Chelsea player to emerge from lunch was Salomon Kalou, who Neil describes as perhaps the nicest person he has ever encountered in football. Kalou agreed to join the show too, and what began as another football interview soon became something completely different.

Neil's previous career as a music journalist gave him an unexpected connection with Kalou through Ivorian reggae musician Alpha Blondy. Once Neil mentioned the name, Kalou came alive and ended up singing an entire Alpha Blondy song live on the radio.

That chance appearance would ultimately help lead Neil towards becoming a regular presenter when the American show went daily in 2010, with Martin Tyler later making plenty of appearances himself. From John Terry's practical joke to Salomon Kalou singing live on air, it's another glimpse at the personalities and moments Neil witnessed during his years travelling with Chelsea that supporters watching from the stands would never normally get to see.

Spy in the Camp is exclusive to JOF Supporters.

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