JOHN TERRY HAS sent an emotional goodbye letter to Chelsea fans, thanking everyone for their support during his 22 years as a player at the club.
The 36-year-old this week announced that this season would be his last at Stamford Bridge following a discussion between himself and current Blues boss Antonio Conte.
Terry looks set to sign out in style, too, with Chelsea currently four-points clear at the top of the Premier League table with just six games remaining.
On Wednesday, the long-serving captain of the club sent a heartfelt farewell to those who have helped him during his career, describing his exit as the “toughest decision of his life”.
“It’s with overwhelming emotion that earlier this week the club and I announced this will be my last season as a Chelsea player,” the statement reads.
“This has been the toughest decision of my life for me and my family, but I always envisaged leaving on the right terms, in the right way and at the right time – and that is now.
“I feel I still have regular football in me but understand that opportunities here at Chelsea will be limited, it is therefore time for a new challenge.
“My earliest ambition as a boy was to become a professional footballer and I’m eternally grateful to Chelsea FC, my mum, dad and brother for giving me the opportunity and their total support to fulfill that dream.
“From joining as a schoolboy at 14, to signing my first professional contract at 17 and then making my first-team debut in the same year, to then being part of the transformation and evolution of this great football club, has inspired me to keep striving to be the very best I can be.
“With the backing and support of Mr Abramovich, we as players have been given the opportunity to fulfill all our professional desires, as this club moved into a new era where it matched our ambitions and became one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.
“For this I’d like to thank Mr Abramovich personally, and the board who have worked tirelessly to ensure the club continues to develop both on and off the field.
“For 22 years this club has been my life, it has given me the platform to compete against the best, break record after record, win trophy after trophy, and as we won more it only increased my desire to work harder and demand more from myself and the team.
“With this obsession I’ve been able to become Chelsea’s most successful captain and I’m immensely proud to be mentioned in the same company as Ron Harris, Peter Bonetti, Frank Lampard, John Hollins and many other greats as one of the highest appearance-makers for the club.
“Thank you to all my team-mates and managers over the years. To have gone shoulder to shoulder in many a battle with you has been an honour.
“I would like to thank my beautiful family for the unconditional love and support they’ve shown me. To my wife Toni and kids Georgie and Summer, you have been my rocks throughout my career. I love you so much and thank you. You’ve celebrated with me when we’ve won and supported me when we’ve lost. You’ve given me the platform to continue to chase my dream over all these years at Stamford Bridge and pushed me to want to be the best throughout. We did it all together. Our family will always be Blue and proud.”
Terry, who led Chelsea to four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields, the Europa League and the 2012 Champions League trophy, went on to thank supporters of the club.
“I’ll never be able to put into words the love I have for you fans,” he added. “The support you have always given me, both personally and to the team, is phenomenal. You’ve been instrumental in my success and have inspired me and the team to win so many trophies.
“Wearing the armband and being your captain has been without doubt one of the proudest achievements of my life. I only hope I’ve been able to repay you with my commitment and loyalty throughout my career, and I look forward to returning to this great club in some capacity in the future.
“I want to stress that the journey is not yet over. There is a long way to go and we are committed to ending this campaign on a high. I am fully focused on helping the team and manager in every way I can from now until the end of the season.”
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Unfortunately that was like watching a game from 2018/19 Limericks persistent fouling not being blown. Jack O’Connor had 3 Limerick lads hanging out of him at one stage and no free. Maybe just an Alan Kelly thing but hopefully the powers that be haven’t stepped in here because of Kielys comments against Galway
@Jamie Bent: stick to old Trafford jamie
@Jamie Bent: bang on. Cork B team wasn’t too bad. The young lads did ok
@Jamie Bent: in fairness Jamie I think you’ve been influenced greatly by the whole narrative about limerick fouling. The same used be said about the great kk team. Its a tough game, let them at it, I think the refs are blowing for the softest stuff now. There wasn’t a dirty stroke in that game, it’ll get a lot more intense in championship, do we want refs blowing up everything? If there’s no dangerous shots then let them play
@Jamie Bent: talking out through your hoop
@Jamie Bent: ah start beating a different drum lad, getting beyond boring now.
@Sean Barry: nothing to fear in 4 weeks so, should be wiping that Limerick team outta the way once the A team is back. Roll on qualifiers for us.
@Sean Barry: what about the b limerick team.
@Jamie Bent: did you actually watch the game, pretty sad trolling bud.
@Jamie Bent: So limerick didn’t foul in 2020 when they won everything and went unbeaten.Fair point.
@Daniel Roche: Too easy rattle the Cork biys. Limerick missing almost as many as Cork tonight.
@Jamie Bent: hurling might not be for you lad. They’re a big physical team, like the tipp teams of past, or KK, or even Cork themselves during Diarmuid Ó Sullivan time. If you can’t mix it and match it at inter County level then go home. Waterford were well able for them a few weeks ago and galway before that.
@Jamie Bent: get over yourself. Limerick by far the better team. It’s a contact sport. 4 weeks time will be alot closer….
@Daniel Roche: Limerick had 9 of their all Ireland team, that B. Cork had a bunch of kids
@Sean Barry: so missing over a third of the team,ya and we will need to really improve, very poor from limerick.
Limerick will take some beating this year. Cop on media and give them a break. They only won an all Ireland a few weeks back ye expect them to hit the ground running. And stop putting the pressure on referees to influence the way they play the game. They are super team who play on the edge the way every county would love to see their team playing. I love watching them and their hunger and desire to compete is incredible. Shades of the greatest team to play the game a few years back. From a Kilkenny man.
@James Fox: only people putting pressure on the refs are KK former players and limerick people.
@James Fox: 25 weeks back wasn’t it?
@Shane Roche: yes about that. So if the All Ireland was the middle of August as it should be would you expect them to be back hitting the ground running in the middle of December. No I didn’t think so
Lynch an absolute wizard
Limerick needed to put that performance out. Absolutely dominant in all aspects. Allowed Kiely to put out his whole bench early into second half. Always felt like limerick took the foot off the pedal and looked like they had a few more gears if they wanted. Cork definitely aiming to bang goals and to be fair when they did get on those 1v1 situations they looked dangerous and have a few youngsters that look like solid future players. Limericks tackling is improved they are clearly trying to be more accurate in the tackle and its working. Nonsense hearing people give out about the swarm when no fouls are being committed it’s just crowding out the oppositionplain and simple. Any team in the country would give anything to have the ferocity and work rate limerick bring to the tackle.
Limerick were utterly dominant but it was a very inexperienced Cork team. I hope we learned some valuable lessons in terms of puck outs but I won’t hold my breath. Limerick must be red hot favourites in 4 weeks time.
UTR
@Harry Corry: not red hot but favs all the same, your forward line is easily one of the most deadliest when given space, let’s not build this up to be a Limerick cakewalk, it will be far from it. Given space and some clinical finishing, goasl there for that Cork side, but replicate the same puckout strategy and you’ll need the 4 or 5 goals to keep in it, gonna be a cracker.
The fact Cork look so nervous doing the short game says it all. Needs to change. Not a major gulf in scoreline in the end but cant help but feel Limerick had a few more gears if needed.
Limerick very dominant today but that was a very young and inexperienced Cork team and I’m going to call it that Cork are keeping their cards close to their chest this year and it wouldn’t surprise me if they win Munster this year .
@Finnster: think none of the teams are fully firing yet , you could pick a name out of the hat at the moment for Munster, Tipp, Cork, Waterford will all fancy their chances and we will have to be at it from the start to justify being favourites.
Will be a great battle this year for Liam , Kilkenny and yourselves will be up for it also and will not fear anyone.
Can’t wait for championship to start.
Cork not at much tonight. Limerick did as well as expected. Championship will be a different kettle of fish.
Really laid down a marker there i must say. Last few weeks put to bed. The new guys adding to competition as well.
@Conor Houlihan: Not so sure about that. The game was pretty much shadow boxing by Cork. They lacked the work rate of the first 3 games.
Between scores and wides Limerick had in excess of fifty scoring attempts. Challenge match type stuff.
Delighted with that all the moaning will stop now for a few weeks
Delighted to get a good performance. Might get the pundits to lay off limerick about how they weren’t scoring enough and giving away 2 may frees. Ok they did give a good few in the second half.I know Cork were missing players, limerick were also. 4 weeks time will be alot closer but good preparation anyway. Also said limerick don’t get goals but if u can score 30 plus pints and 22 wides. U don’t need goals.
Lot of limerick fouling but this is what cork have to face. All these years they still get blown out of every tackle. I know they were kids but still
@Finbarr O Donovan: cork put more fouls in than limerick , two very young teams out there , both teams giving players their chances . Young leaving cert students o neill And Coughlan for limerick are finds of the season , kiely will manage them well . Limerick are still only building up momentum , not at their best at all yet .
Most boring match I have seen for a while. Limerick play like robots
@SandraMeyler: so you don’t like watching skillful players,Cian lynch is one of the most skillful players in the country,if that is like robots,hope more copy him.
@SandraMeyler: so what do ye know in Carlow about hurling?