John Terry to get Chelsea FC farewell at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea FC captain John Terry may be suspended for the rest of the season, but that is not stopping him from playing at Stamford Bridge one last time.
John Terry picked up a second yellow card in the dying moments of Chelsea FC’s 3-2 loss against Sunderland, resulting in his second dismissal of the season. The consequent two-game ban means that he will not play in blue again this season. Furthermore, with no contract extension forthcoming, that could well have been the last time that we see Terry in a Chelsea shirt.
However, the captain is determined to go out with one final game at Stamford Bridge and, according to The Telegraph, he is being allowed to do so. Terry has booked out the pitch for a private fixture as his final hurrah.
"Terry will still play on the Stamford Bridge turf for one last time after hiring the stadium for a specially arranged match with his closest friends next Monday."
The paper states that hiring Stamford Bridge usually comesat the cost of £22,000, but the club have handed it over for free as a gesture of their gratitude.
It’s also set to be a full experience, with use of the dressing rooms, PA equipment, dug outs and even the big screens included in the package.
Oh, and there’s a barbecue too.
Terry revealed in January that the club had not tendered an extension to him and there has been little to indicate otherwise since then. His dismissal against Sunderland has seemingly brought his Stamford Bridge career to a premature end.
For a man who graduated through the academy before leading the club to their multiple Roman Abramovich-era successes, this is a tragic way to bow out. The fans have been up in arms regarding the contract situation anyway, with a protest planned for Chelsea’s clash with Liverpool.
An awfully rash tackle from the defender means that they are now also deprived of an opportunity to say goodbye with all the fanfare that he deserves.
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It will be interesting to see what happens when the season ends, but rumours suggest that Terry is already considering a move to China. For the moment, though, at least he will be able to take to the Stamford Bridge pitch one last time, despite it not being a competitive fixture.