Terry to carry on as Chelsea captain

LONDON (AFP) –

John Terry, seen here on October 6, will continue as captain of Chelsea, the English Premier League club’s chairman Bruce Buck has said.

John Terry will continue as Chelsea captain, the English Premier League club’s chairman Bruce Buck said Saturday.

The former England skipper was suspended for four matches — starting with Saturday’s 4-2 win at Tottenham — and fined £220,000 ($350,000, 270,000 euros) by the Football Association (FA) earlier this month for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

Terry decided this week not to appeal the decision, leaving Chelsea to decide what action of their own to take.

Manager Roberto Di Matteo had refused to say on Friday whether Terry would remain captain.

However, Buck confirmed Saturday that the defender would, and that he would not be given an additional ban by Chelsea, although the club have fined him an undisclosed amount.

“The board decide what they want to do and that’s the way it is,” Di Matteo told Sky Sports television after the win at Spurs.

“I’m fully aware of what’s going on and supported the decision but ultimately they made the decision. I respect it.

“It’s been tough for us as a club to deal with all these issues but we showed the energy towards the football and showed we are a good team.

“It was a test of character coming here to play a team in form with four consecutive wins.

“The answers we gave today were perfect.”

Earlier, Buck revealed Terry would continue wearing the armband.

Queens Park Rangers‘ Anton Ferdinand (left) is seen with Chelsea’s John Terry at Loftus Road in London, on September 15. erry will continue as Chelsea captain, the English Premier League club’s chairman Bruce Buck said.

“John will continue to be captain of the club. We have taken disciplinary action and we think it is firm disciplinary action and appropriate for the circumstances,” he told Talksport radio.

Details of the fine would remain confidential in line with club policy, Buck said, adding that it was the heaviest fine “by far” they had ever meted out to a player.

“We have kept in mind first of all that a court of criminal law found him not guilty. Of course we also note the FA decision and we certainly respect that decision. We’ve kept these factors in mind, we’ve consulted with the owner Mr (Roman) Abramovich.

“This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly, it’s not a decision we took in a half-hour meeting, we discussed it over a long period of time and we think we’ve taken appropriate disciplinary action.”

Buck also apologised to the Ferdinand family for their ordeal — something Terry, controversially, did not do in his statement on Thursday.

“I understand, and as a club we understand, what they have gone through since a year ago and Chelsea Football Club would like to apologise to them. It has been a very difficult year for them and they didn’t do anything wrong. And we are sorry.”

Chief executive Ron Gourlay added that there was no question of Chelsea sacking Terry.