Soccer

John Terry set to leave Chelsea at end of the season

Chelsea captain John Terry is set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season
Chelsea captain John Terry is set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season Chelsea captain John Terry is set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season

FA Cup Fourth Round Milton Keynes Dons 1 Chelsea 5

CHELSEA captain John Terry has announced he will leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season after the club decided not to renew his contract.

The 35-year-old central defender has spent his entire career at Chelsea and last May won the Premier League title for the fourth time. Terry was informed prior to last week’s win over Arsenal.

He said: “I was in last week before the Arsenal game and it (my contract) is not going to be extended. It’s not going to be a fairytale ending, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea.”

Chelsea have endured a season of struggle, with manager Jose Mourinho leaving for the second time in December, and now their talismanic skipper will be moving on. There is one small glimmer of a playing future for Terry at Chelsea, if Mourinho’s permanent successor deems his services are required.

Terry added: “Ideally I would have loved to stay, but the club’s moving in a different direction.

“I needed to know now like I have done every January and sometimes it takes a couple of months to get done. Unfortunately, it was a no. They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change. It’s a no at the minute. It took me a couple of days to get over.”

Terry, who has made 696 appearances for Chelsea, has no plans to play for another English club, but his next destination is still to be determined.

He said: “I couldn’t play for another Premier League club. It will be elsewhere for sure. I don’t know where and I leave that to the people in charge.”

The former England captain, who joined Chelsea aged 14, added: “The club will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. No doubt they’ll sign one or two great centre-backs.

“I want to come back as a Chelsea supporter in years to come with my kids and see the team doing great. Unfortunately that’s not going to be with me, but I want to see the team do well.

“It’s going to be my last year and I want to go out at the top. We spoke about my legacy and coming back to the club when I finish. The most important thing now is to get us up the league.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink was relieved his side avoided the mental pitfalls of playing lower league opposition in the FA Cup after a superb display saw them beat MK Dons 5-1.

A hat-trick from Oscar backed by goals from Eden Hazard – from the penalty spot – and Bertrand Traore wrapped up a comfortable win for the Blues, even if they did endure a minor scare when Darren Potter equalised for the hosts.

“We are delighted,” Hiddink said. “Because if you play this game it’s always difficult.

“If you play the big games, the big teams, the concentration is always high automatically, but these games you have to be well prepared mentally.  We played well in the first half but we weren’t finishing it off in the first 20 minutes. Then they got the equaliser but we reacted very well.”

Hazard got on the scoresheet just before the hour mark, his first goal for the club this season.

It appeared that captain John Terry intervened to ensure Hazard, rather than Oscar, took the spot-kick and the Belgian sent David Martin the wrong way before celebrating in front of the visiting support by kissing the Chelsea badge.

Hiddink said: “Of course we have the hierarchy of penalties, Oscar is the first one to take. But he gave it to Eden because everyone knows he hasn’t scored for a long time due to injuries and not having scored.”

The Blues were drawn at home to title challengers Manchester City in the fifth round where Sky Bet League One strugglers Shrewsbury have been handed a plum tie against Manchester United at New Meadow.

Shrewsbury were rewarded for their dramatic comeback to beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 by being given another home tie against the Red Devils, who had beaten Derby 3-1 away in the first of the fourth-round fixtures on Friday evening.

Elsewhere, holders Arsenal were drawn at home to Hull. There will be other all-Premier League clashes when Tottenham host Crystal Palace and Bournemouth take on Everton.

League One Peterborough battled to a 2-2 draw at West Brom, and if they win through the replay would head to Championship side Reading, who beat Walsall 4-0.

Watford, 1-0 winners at Nottingham Forest, were drawn at home to Leeds, who won 2-1 at Bolton.

The remaining fixture will see Blackburn, 3-0 winners at Oxford, host either Liverpool or West Ham, who played out a goalless draw on Saturday evening.

Fifth Round Draw


Chelsea v Manchester City


Reading v West Brom/Peterborough


Watford v Leeds


Shrewsbury v Manchester United


Blackburn v Liverpool/West Ham


Tottenham v Crystal Palace


Arsenal v Hull


Bournemouth v Everton