Final warning: Chelsea to get rid of Terry if he's found guilty of racism again... but critics say ban too lenient

John Terry has been warned he will be booted out of Chelsea if found guilty of racial abuse again.

He was summoned to a board meeting and told in no uncertain terms that his future at the club is on the line.

The defender was fined £220,000 — two weeks’ wages — but retained the captaincy after  announcing he will not be appealing against the FA’s four-match ban for using racist language in  an incident with Queens Park Rangers’ Anton  Ferdinand last October.

Flashpoint: John Terry and Anton Ferdinand clash at Loftus Road in October 2011

GAMES TERRY WILL MISS

Tottenham (Premier League A) - October 20
Man United (Premier League H) - October 28
Man United (Capital One Cup H) - October 31
Swansea (Premier League A) - November 3

First game back:
Liverpool (Premier League H) - November 11

Reading striker Jason Roberts criticised the Terry punishment, urging fellow professionals to refuse to wear T-shirts backing the Kick It Out Campaign before fixtures this month.

Roberts said: ‘The four-match ban, for me, was not a heavy enough sanction for what happened. I’m not happy. They should have given him a longer ban. I’m totally committed to kicking racism out of football but when there’s a movement I feel represents the issue in the way that speaks for me and my colleagues I will support it.’

Terry is facing a £2million bill in legal costs covering his court trial and FA disciplinary hearing.

Making a stand: Reading striker Jason Roberts (right) is also a pundit on BBC Radio 5 Live

His Chelsea team-mate Ashley Cole was fined £90,000 by the FA after admitting a misconduct charge for calling them a ‘bunch of t****’ in a tweet after the verdict against Terry.

Former England defender Terry will start the suspension on Saturday, when Chelsea travel to London rivals Tottenham, and will miss two games against Manchester United as well as a clash with Swansea.

Terry will avoid the potential controversy of wearing a Kick It Out T-shirt in the warm-up before the Barclays Premier League home clash with United a week on Sunday.

Show of support: The West Ham squad back the Kick It Out campaign in training at Chadwell Heath on Thursday

Despite Terry’s apology, in which he said he wanted ‘to apologise to everyone for the language I used in the game against Queens Park Rangers’, he has been criticised by the Kick It Out Campaign again.

Lord Ouseley said: ‘We are disappointed that there hasn’t been an acknowledgement in it of the hurt experienced by many people caught in the crossfire during the past 12 months.

‘It does, however, form the basis of bringing closure to the matter sometime in the near future.’
In a statement released yesterday lunchtime, Terry said: ‘After careful consideration, I have decided not to appeal against the FA judgment.

‘I want to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone for the language I used in the game against Queens Park Rangers last October.

Banned: John Terry is serving a four-match suspension

‘Although I’m disappointed with the FA judgement, 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.

 

‘As I stated in the criminal case, with the benefit of hindsight my language was clearly not an appropriate reaction to the  situation for someone in my position.

‘My response was below the level expected by Chelsea  Football Club and by me and it will not happen again.

‘Looking forward, I will continue to do my part in assisting the club to remove all types of discriminatory behaviour from football.

‘I am extremely grateful for the consistent support of Chelsea FC, the fans and my family.’ 

Chelsea, who consistently promised to clarify the  club’s position the moment Terry made his decision not to appeal, released a statement of their own within an hour. 

The club said: ‘Chelsea Football Club believes John Terry has made the correct decision by not appealing against the FA judgment relating to language he used at the QPR match last October.

‘Chelsea also appreciates, and supports, John’s full apology for the language he used. The club firmly believes such language is not acceptable and fell below the standards expected of John as a Chelsea player.

Flashpoint: Terry was banned for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand (left)

‘The board has conducted its own investigation into the matter and considered the various issues involved.

‘The board has taken further disciplinary action in addition to the four-match suspension and £220,000 fine imposed by the FA. In accordance with our long-standing policy, that disciplinary action will remain confidential.

‘Chelsea enjoys support all over the world. We have players and supporters from many different countries and cultures and our club is committed to eradicating all forms of discriminatory behaviour. John is fully committed to continue supporting that.’ 

Apology: Terry has said sorry for his racist language

Chelsea justified their decision to retain Terry as captain by claiming that their disciplinary process always takes places behind closed doors.

They argued that stripping him of the captaincy would have dragged the process into the public arena.

Now Terry is counting the cost of his trial at Westminster Magistrates Court and the decision by the FA’s Independent Regulatory Commission that he should pick up the costs for both sides.

Terry retained George Carter-Stephenson QC on £10,000-a-day for his defence against the FA charge and football’s governing body employed a silk on similar rates.

JOHN TERRY TIMELINE

2011: October 23 - Releases a statement denying he made a racist slur against Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's defeat at QPR after videos had circulated on the internet.

October 25 - Scotland Yard announce they are assessing allegations of racist abuse of Ferdinand by Terry after a complaint from the member of the public.

November 1 - The Metropolitan Police confirm they have launched a formal investigation.

November 5 - England manager Fabio Capello confirms Terry will be selected for the friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

November 28 - Terry is interviewed under caution.

December 1 - Scotland Yard announce they have passed a file towards to prosecutors.

December 21 - The Crown Prosecution Service announce Terry will be charged with racially abusing Ferdinand and is due to appear before West London Magistrates' Court on February 1, 2012.

2012: January 28 - The FA cancels the pre-match handshakes before the FA Cup fourth-round tie between QPR and Chelsea "to defuse further tensions" relating to the Terry-Ferdinand situation.

February 1 - District Judge Howard Riddle orders that Terry should stand trial in the week beginning July 9 - following Euro 2012 - after hearing a number of other Chelsea players would not be able to appear as witnesses until the end of the football season.

February 3 - Terry is stripped of the England captaincy for a second time. The decision was taken by members of the 14-strong FA board, without consulting Capello.

February 8 - Capello resigns as England manager two days after criticising the decision to strip Terry of the captaincy.

July 13 - Cleared at Westminster Magistrates' Court of making a racist insult to Ferdinand.

June 24 - Plays the full 90 minutes and extra time as England suffer more penalty heartache, losing their Euro 2012 quarter-final to Italy on penalties.

July 27 - Charged by the FA with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards QPR defender Ferdinand. It is further alleged that this included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Ferdinand. Terry denies the charge and requests a personal hearing.

August 30 - Recalled to England squad, after missing friendly against Sweden, for September's World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine.

September 9 - Withdraws from England squad for Ukraine game after picking up ankle injury in 5-0 win in Moldova.

September 23 - Announces his retirement from international football, shortly before the start of his personal hearing to answer the FA charge.

September 27 - Banned for four matches and fined £220,000 by an FA independent regulatory commission.

October 5 - FA reveal written reasons behind independent commission's ruling, insisting Terry's racist language towards Ferdinand was used as an insult and finding "no credible basis" for his defence that he was only repeating words he believed the QPR defender said to him.

October 18 - Terry decides not to appeal against the four-match ban and fine. Terry also apologises for the language he used in the match against QPR.

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