John Terry to leave Chelsea at the end of the season


John Terry will call time on an illustrious 22-year association at Chelsea at the end of the season - but insists he is 'eager' to not hang up his boots just yet.
The 36-year-old has been a Blues stalwart, having come through the club's academy and first-team since 1995.

But in a joint statement made on Monday afternoon with the club, it was revealed that a partnership which has yielded 14 major honours together will soon cease.

'After 22 years there is so much to say and so many people to thank at this great football club,' he told the club's official website.

'From coaches, team-mates and staff to the fans who have given me so much support down the years, I can't thank you enough. There will be opportunities for me to speak further about this over the coming weeks.

'I will decide on my future in due course, but for now I am committed to helping the team achieve success this season.

'The club and I have always had a fantastic relationship, which will continue beyond my playing days. We had some really positive talks but with everything taken into careful consideration I have decided it's the right time for me to leave. I've always been conscious that I depart at the right time, in the right way, and I feel that the end of this season is the right time for the club and I. I feel I still have plenty to offer on the pitch but understand that opportunities here at Chelsea will be limited for me. I'm eager to carry on playing and so will be looking to continue with a new challenge. I will of course always be a Blue and am desperate to end my final season as a Chelsea player with more silverware.

'Finally, words cannot describe the love I have for our football club and our amazing Chelsea fans. I would like to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for the unbelievable support you've shown me over the years. You mean the world to me and every trophy we've won during my time at the club we've won together. I will never forget the incredible journey we've been on. Thank you so much for everything.'

Terry has only made 10 appearances for the Stamford Bridge outfit this season but was hailed as 'an influential and inspirational member of the squad' by Chelsea.

'John Terry and Chelsea Football Club today jointly announce our captain will leave the club at the end of the season,' the club's statement read.

'Everybody at Stamford Bridge would like to express our enormous gratitude to John and wish him the very best of luck for the future.

'John has given us more than two decades of dedicated and exceptional service. In that time he has displayed the utmost pride at wearing the Chelsea shirt, something he has done on 713 occasions since his debut in 1998, scoring 66 goals. He is the club's third highest all-time appearance-maker and has captained Chelsea a record 578 times.

'This season he has featured less on the field but remained an influential and inspirational member of the squad which, under Antonio Conte's guidance, sits top of the Premier League.

'Throughout his career 'JT' has contributed immensely to us achieving consistent success unequalled in the club's history. He has won the Champions League, four Premier League titles, the Europa League, five FA Cups and three League Cups. His 14 major honours make him our most decorated individual of all time.'

Terry has not featured since a 2-0 FA Cup win over Wolves in February, with his last league appearance coming in November.

Other than a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, Terry has never turned out for another side and has racked up over 700 appearances at Chelsea.

He was named PFA Player of the Year in 2005 and collected 78 England caps before retiring from the international scene.

DailyMail

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