THE images may reflect the emotions felt by thousands on the terraces all over the country - but artist Mackenzie Thorpe insists he chose football as the subject of his latest exhibition for a broader purpose.

The Game of Life is in the middle of a 95-date tour at the moment, which will end with the sale of the originals at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.

At the weekend, the Middlesbrough-born artist, famous for his square sheep, kept a promise he made when relocating to San Francisco in 2001 and returned "home" to his Arthaus, in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

There was little respite for the man whose work is on display in almost 90 US galleries and is a regular guest on television chat shows.

Hundreds of well-wishers took the opportunity to call at the Finkle Street studio to talk about his latest work and to have examples signed.

During a lull in his schedule, Mr Thorpe took time to explain that, although he hopes football will reach out to a new audience, his paintings have a deeper significance.

"There's one which shows a football ground as the only patch of green in a drab industrial landscape and people are flocking to it from everywhere. Even the pub is struggling to cope with the numbers," he said.

"That club may be at the bottom of the third division but let's say they've just beaten the Premiership champions - and now everyone wants to come and see them play.

"Their story is a little like my own. I haven't changed. I'm still the same person I've always been but, now - especially with The Game of Life - more and more people are coming into art galleries to see my work.

"What I hope they will understand is that I've used football as a vehicle for a message - and the message is that everyone is a hero in their own way."