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Unpacking John Terry's Most Controversial Chelsea Moments: A Detailed Ranking

Exploring the highs and lows of John Terry's nearly two-decade tenure at Chelsea, we delve into the most contentious moments that have defined the legacy of the legendary defender. From on-pitch altercations to off-field scandals, Terry's career is a complex tapestry of success and controversy.

Unpacking John Terry's Most Controversial Chelsea Moments: A Detailed Ranking

For all his quality as a defender and his overflowing trophy cabinet, John Terry's near-19-year Chelsea career was punctuated by moments of significant controversy - from his early days at Stamford Bridge right through to his peak. His legacy is a complex one as a result, with many recognising him as one of the finest defenders England has ever produced while simultaneously asking serious questions of his character.Within the walls of Stamford Bridge, at least, Terry will always be an icon, having led the club to five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and an elusive Champions League crown during a glittering era as their charismatic, hardman skipper, earning himself the tagline 'Captain, leader, legend' among the Chelsea faithful.Among neutrals and rival fans, however, the former centre-back is a widely abhorred after a string of high-profile misdemeanours and brushes with the law, with two incidents in particular between the late noughties and early 2010s standing out in people's minds.But what has led to Terry's reputation sinking so low? Below, GOAL reflects on the nine most controversial moments of the Chelsea hero's storied career...Terry found himself in hot water in November 2006 after comments he made about referee Graham Poll following his sending off against Tottenham. Terry claimed the official had given him conflicting reasons for his second yellow card.He told Chelsea TV: "On the pitch. Graham Poll said to me that it was for the barge where I just kept running. Then, after the game, he said it was for the fall when me and Ledley King fell. He's obviously had a look at it and decided that's probably the best option and it covers every angle for him."Terry was hit with an FA improper conduct charge for 'questioning Poll's integrity', which he later admitted as he was fined £10,000.Bizarrely, Terry was twice fined for parking his car in a disabled space during his time with Chelsea - once in 2008 and again seven years later in 2015, even though he had reportedly vowed never to do it again after the first incident.The footballer was caught red-handed the second time as he was photographed with his car parked in the bay outside a kebab shop in Esher, Surrey. The original offence - which happened in the same area - saw him allegedly use the spot for two hours while he had a family meal at a branch of Pizza Express. He was fined just £60.Chelsea were forced to defend their captain in 2009 when it was alleged that he had taken a secret £10,000 payment from an undercover reporter to host a behind-the-scenes tour of the club's Cobham training ground, without informing then-manager Carlo Ancelotti. He reportedly wanted £8,000 to go to charity and the remainder to a middleman.The Blues said in a statement: "Chelsea FC host a large number of visitors at the training ground throughout the year, the majority of which are made up of club sponsors, our charity partners and supporters. The players play a big part in these visits and John Terry naturally has a leading role. Contrary to media reports and the appearance of edited video this morning, the club is confident that at no time did Terry ask for or accept money in relation to visits to the training ground." Ancelotti also denied the allegation, saying his player had "done nothing wrong".Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingThe year 2009 was a tumultuous one for Terry, as he also had to face claims from a revered former team-mate about his role in Jose Mourinho's dramatic Stamford Bridge exit two years prior. Legendary defensive midfielder Claude Makelele, who left Chelsea in 2008, wrote in his autobiography that he was informed that a row between Mourinho and Terry over the centre-back's fitness played a significant role in the Portuguese tactician leaving.The Frenchman went as far as to say that his co-star made a transfer request which forced Roman Abramovich to act, with both the club and Terry forced to deny Makelele's claims."It's bizarre, actually, because he knows the real truth and, if anything, I was one of three players phoning Roman at 1am or 2am the night I heard he'd been sacked, to keep him on," Terry later said, adding: "Me and Jose know the truth. It's bizarre that Maka has put this in his book, but I tried to call him Friday night and his phone was off."In a particularly sordid incident that Terry would probably like everyone to forget, the footballer was caught on CCTV drunkenly urinating in a pint glass on the dancefloor of an Essex nightclub. The footballer was 21 at the time and was nursing a broken toe, which he allegedly used as his excuse for not making his way to the toilets to relieve himself.The footage reportedly showed Terry urinating in the glass while his friends laughed and egged him on, before dropping it on the floor and being escorted out of the club by security staff after a member of staff had brought the grim act to their attention. Ironically, the clip would be leaked on the internet three years later.Early in his senior Chelsea career, a 20-year-old Terry and fellow club legend Frank Lampard were among a clutch of players at the centre of an ugly, booze-fuelled incident in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.When their UEFA Cup fixture was postponed as a mark of respect 24 hours after the attacks, Terry, Lampard, Jody Morris and Eidur Gudjohnsen used the unexpected time off to go on a drinking binge, which resulted in them being seen "stripping, swearing and vomiting" at a hotel packed with grieving U.S. citizens who were stranded by flight cancellations near London's Heathrow airport, according to the BBC. They were later seen diving headfirst down the lanes at a nearby bowling alley.Terry and Co. were fined two weeks' wages by Chelsea, with then-managing director Colin Hutchinson labelling their behaviour "totally out of order". However, he denied that the players 'intended to insult or abuse anyone' amid claims they had mocked the Americans present.In January 2002 - the same year as the urine incident - Terry and Chelsea team-mate Morris were arrested and charged over an assault on a nightclub bouncer, who was allegedly struck on the head with a glass bottle. Terry did punch the security guard in the face, but he claimed he was acting in self-defence.Having faced jail time, Terry and Morris were eventually cleared of assault and affray, but the incident scuppered the then-uncapped defender's chances of going to the 2002 World Cup with England, with the FA adjudging that he should be unavailable for selection until the legal case was completed. He was found not guilty in August, not long after the tournament concluded, and reportedly left the dock in tears.Terry has been accused of cheating multiple times during his relationship with wife Toni, whom he married in 2007, but the most infamous allegation emerged in 2010, when it was sensationally claimed that the Chelsea captain had had a four-month affair with the girlfriend of former team-mate Wayne Bridge, Vanessa Perroncel, in late 2009.When a super-injunction on media reporting was lifted in January 2010, the rumours were splashed across the tabloids, though Perroncel received printed apologies for breaches of her privacy. It was also reported that Terry paid the French model hundreds of thousands of pounds to stay silent. For her part, Perroncel has always maintained that the affair never happened.Nevertheless, Terry was stripped of the England captaincy the following month (he was reinstated a year later), and when he played against Bridge for the first time since the allegations emerged, following the latter's January move to Manchester City, the left-back infamously refused to shake his hand before kick-off.The most controversial incident of Terry's glittering but tumultuous time at Chelsea would ultimately bring an end to his international career. Following the west London derby against Queens Park Rangers in October 2011, a video circulated on social media that appeared to show the Blues skipper calling Anton Ferdinand - brother of Terry's England team-mate Rio - a "f*cking black c*nt", with a member of public reporting it to the police.Terry insisted he was responding to an on-pitch allegation from Ferdinand that he had used racist language. However, a police investigation was launched, alongside an FA probe, and Terry was eventually charged with using racist language in December. He was stripped of the England captaincy for a second time as a result, although he was acquitted in a criminal trial in the summer of 2012.The player was subsequently hit with an FA charge for using abusive words and behaviour which "included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Ferdinand". Terry denied the charge, and on the eve of his FA hearing he announced his international retirement, saying his position had become "untenable".Terry was found guilty in September 2012, resulting in a four-month ban and a £220,000 fine, as well as being disciplined internally by Chelsea. He didn't appeal the verdict and issued an apology the following month, saying: "Although I'm disappointed with the FA judgment, I accept that the language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable on the football field or indeed in any walk of life. With the benefit of hindsight, my language was clearly not an appropriate reaction to the situation for someone in my position."

1

Terry questions referee Graham Poll's integrity - 2006

After being sent off against Tottenham, Terry publicly criticized referee Graham Poll for giving conflicting reasons for his dismissal. The defender was later fined £10,000 by the FA for improper conduct.

2

Parking in disabled space - 2008, 2015

Caught twice parking in disabled spaces, Terry faced public scrutiny for this disregard for parking regulations, with the incidents tarnishing his public image.

3

Alleged secret payment scandal - 2009

Accused of accepting a secret £10,000 payment for a training ground tour, Terry found himself embroiled in a controversy that raised questions about his conduct off the field.

4

Claude Makelele's claims - 2009

Former teammate Claude Makelele suggested Terry played a role in Jose Mourinho's departure from Chelsea which led to denials from both the player and the club, adding a layer of internal strife to Terry's legacy.

5

Drunken urination incident - Early career

Caught on CCTV urinating in a pint glass on a dancefloor, Terry's behavior in this sordid incident reflected poorly on his professionalism and public image.

6

Post-9/11 drinking binge - Early career

Engaging in inappropriate behavior after a UEFA Cup fixture was postponed due to the September 11 attacks, Terry faced backlash for his actions alongside his teammates.

7

Nightclub assault charges - 2002

Charged over an assault on a nightclub bouncer, Terry's involvement in this incident not only marred his reputation but also impacted his international prospects at the time.

8

Alleged affair scandal - 2010

Accusations of infidelity and a reported affair with a teammate's girlfriend led to Terry being stripped of the England captaincy and sparked a public scandal surrounding his personal life.

9

Racial abuse controversy - 2011

The most notorious incident in Terry's career, involving accusations of racial abuse towards Anton Ferdinand, culminated in a legal case, FA charges, and ultimately led to Terry's retirement from international football.

Published on Dec 23, 2025
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