John Terry

John George Terry (born in Barking, Essex 7 December 1980) is an English

 professional football player. Terry plays as a centre back and is currently the captain of both Chelsea in the English Premier League and the national football team of England.

Terry is currently regarded as one of the best defenders in European football. He was voted best defender in the 2005 UEFA Champions League,^[1] PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2005,^[2] and was included in the FIFPro World XI for 2005.^[3] He was also named in the all-star squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the only English player to make the team.^[4] He wears the number 26 shirt for Chelsea and the number 6 shirt for England.

Early life

Terry was born in Barking, East London and attended Eastbury Comprehensive School. Before being spotted by Chelsea, he played for Sunday League Team Senrab F.C.. This team featured many future stars of the English game, including, Bobby Zamora and Paul Konchesky (both of whom now play for West Ham United), Ledley King (of Tottenham) and Jlloyd Samuel (of Aston Villa). Terry joined Chelsea's youth system at 14, playing for the club's Youth and Reserve teams as a midfielder initially. It was due to a shortage of central defenders that he was moved to centre-half and hasn't looked back.

Chelsea

Terry made his Chelsea debut on 28 October 1998 as a late substitute in a League Cup tie with Aston Villa; his first start came later that season in an FA Cup third round match, a 2-0 win over Oldham Athletic. He spent a brief period on loan with Nottingham Forest in 2000. Early in his career, Terry was involved in an unsavoury incident in a West London nightclub with Chelsea team mate Jody Morris and Wimbledon's Des Byrne. He was charged with assault and affray, but later cleared. During the affair, he received a temporary ban from the national side, which cost him a place in England's 2002 World Cup squad.^[5]

Terry began to establish himself in the Chelsea first team from the 2000-01 season, making 23 starts, and was voted the club's player of the year. He continued his progress during 2001-02, becoming a feature of the defence alongside club captain and French international Marcel Desailly. That season saw Chelsea reach the FA Cup final, though a virus denied Terry a place in the starting line-up (he did come on as a second-half substitute) and Chelsea lost 2-0.

In season 2003-04, his strong, committed, and inspiring displays led to him being handed the captain's armband by manager Claudio Ranieri when Desailly was out of the side. He played well in the absence of the French legend, establishing himself as a genuine contender for a first team slot and forming a strong defensive partnership with William Gallas.

Following Desailly's retirement, new Chelsea manager José Mourinho chose Terry as his club captain, a choice which was clearly positive throughout the 2004-05 season. Chelsea won the FA Premier League title in record-breaking fashion with the best defensive record in Football League history, the most clean sheets and the most points accrued.^[6] Terry was voted Player of the Year by his fellow professionals in England^[2] and scored eight goals, including a late winner against FC Barcelona, in the UEFA Champions League. He was voted the best defender in the latter tournament.^[1]

Along with Frank Lampard, Claude Makélélé and Petr Čech, Terry is regarded as a part of the "spine" of the Chelsea team. Being an English player (from Essex) who came through the club's youth system, he is especially popular with Chelsea fans, because of this. In September 2005 he was selected as a member of the World XI at the FIFPro awards. The team was chosen by a vote of professional footballers based in 40 countries.^[3]

In a match on 14th October 2006 against Reading F.C., Terry had to take over in goal for Chelsea after both of Chelsea's usual keepers, Petr Čech and Carlo Cudicini were both injured in the game. He wore the number 40 shirt belonging to third-choice goalkeeper Henrique Hilario. However, as the game continued for only a little over a minute, Terry did not have a single save to make - in fact, his goalkeeping experience was limited to taking a free-kick from inside the penalty area. Chelsea managed to hang on to a one goal lead and win the game. In a match on 5th November 2006 against Tottenham Hotspur, Terry was sent off for the first time in his Chelsea career. He received 2 yellow cards as Chelsea lost at White Hart Lane for the first time since 1987. Later, Terry was charged with misconduct by the F.A. for questioning the intergrity of match referee Graham Poll, who allegedly gave Terry different reasons for why he was given his second yellow during and after the game. Poll was also aquitted of saying inappropriate things to Chelsea players. Terry's punishment has yet to be decided.

England

Terry is the current captain of the England national team and he made his debut in June 2003 against Serbia and Montenegro. He played for his country at Euro 2004, and England Manager Sven-Göran Eriksson stated that Terry was the first-choice centre back, ahead of Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell.

In a FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Poland, Terry had the honour of wearing England's captain armband, replacing Michael Owen as captain after the latter was subbed.

He has cemented his place in the England squad by being selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In a warm-up match for that tournament against Hungary on May 30, 2006, Terry scored his first goal for England, the team's second in a 3-1 victory. Despite an injury scare in a friendly against Jamaica, he recovered to play in England's opening fixture against Paraguay, a 1-0 victory.

In the next match against Trinidad and Tobago, he made perhaps the most spectacular save of the game. In the game's 44th minute, Carlos Edwards beat England's Paul Robinson to a cross and as Stern John bundled a header towards the goal, Terry cleared the ball off the line with an overhead kick.

In the quarter-finals match against Portugal, Terry played the entire match, but England lost on penalties and he was left in tears with his fellow players. Six days later, he was the only English player to be named in the tournament's all-star squad.^[4]

On 10th August 2006, Steve McClaren named John Terry as the England captain, succeeding David Beckham. The new England Head Coach also confirmed that Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will be vice-captain. McClaren said "Choosing a captain is one of the most important decisions a coach has to make. I’m certain I’ve got the right man in John Terry. I’m convinced he will prove to be one of the best captains England has ever had."

John Terry scored a goal on his debut as the England captain, in a friendly international against Greece. This was the first goal of the match and, as such, the first goal during McClaren's reign as manager. When celebrating he kissed his new captain's armband.

Terry is one of five national team captains in the current Chelsea team, along with Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast captain), Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine captain), Michael Ballack (Germany captain) Michael Essien (Ghana captain) and Geremi (Cameroon captain).

Personal life

Terry currently lives in Oxshott, Surrey. His older brother Paul is also a professional footballer, but plays in a lower division, currently for Yeovil Town.

Terry`s brother is also brother in law to West Ham United left-back Paul Konchesky. John Terry`s brother is married to the sister of Konchesky (sarah).

Since May 18, 2006, John and his fiancée Toni Poole are also the parents of twins, a boy (Georgie John) and a girl (Summer Rose). This was further celebrated after Terry's goal for England against Hungary, when he performed a "baby-rocking" celebration.

Honours

Chelsea

• FA Premier League (2004-05, 2005-06)
• FA Cup (2000)
• League Cup (2005)
• FA Community Shield (2005)

Personal honours

• PFA Player of the Year (2004-05)
• 2005 UEFA Champions League Best Defender
• FIFA World Cup squad of the tournament (2006)
• FIFPro World XI Team (2005, 2006)

Named captain of English National Team

Notes