[3] His first major international engagement was the World Cup qualifying match on 3 September 2000, involving Hungary and Italy in Budapest, and this was drawn 2-2.
[4] In the same month came his first UEFA Champions League game, Helsingborg versus Bayern Munich at the Olympia Stadium on 13 September - this ended in a 3–1 away win.
Birmingham won by 4–2 on penalties, after extra time saw one goal each scored (by Geoff Horsfield and Iwan Roberts respectively) following a scoreless 90 minutes.
In this final period of his career he was given his last big European honour when he was chosen to referee the UEFA Super Cup game between AC Milan and FC Porto, held in the principality of Monaco at the Stade Louis II Stadium on 29 August 2003.
[11] He was to handle one of the 2004 FA Cup Semi-finals before his retirement from active top-class officiating at the end of that season, the tie between Arsenal and Manchester United on 3 April 2004 at Villa Park, Birmingham.