John signed for Chelsea as a schoolboy, having spent some time at West Ham, and turning down offers from Man U among others. He quickly became a regular in the youth team and then in the reserves, winning the Young Player of the year award a year before expected. John broke into the first team in the 1999/2000 season under Gianluca Vialli’s management. He spent 2 months on loan at Nottingham Forest before returning to Chelsea in time for the FA Cup Final May 2000, where he got a winners medal as a non-playing substitute. With the arrival of Claudio Ranieri as Chelsea Manager in September 2000, John began playing more regularly, often prefered above the more experienced Frank Leboeuf. John got his first Premiership goal equalising against Arsenal in January 2001, and in the 2001/2 season John made 43 starts - behind only Hasselbiank and Lampard, scored 4 goals and established hismself as one of the stars of Chelsea’s team.

Name: John Terry

Age: 21

Location: Lives Epsom, Surrey.

Born: Barking.

Date of Birth: 7th December 1980.

Height:6”1

Fave Player: Fan of Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne - John was originally a midfielder before becoming a defender so Gazza was one of his heroes. Also his older brother Paul Terry who plays for Conference side Dagenham and Redbridge. JT’s role model is Arsenal’s Tony Adams. Hopefully he’ll be a similarly respected and succesful captain for Chelsea in the future.

Family: Mum Sue, Dad Ted, a former fork-lift truck driver, now retired. Brother Paul (23) plays for semi-professional team Dagenham & Redbridge. Girlfriend of four years Toni, a beauty therapist.

Fave Team: Has to be Chelsea of course! Although his whole family support West Ham, John also went through a Man U phase when he was a teenager, before realising the error of his ways! Also keeps an eye on Dagenham and Redbridge.

3 words to describe him: Sexy!!, Strong and Determined.

Hobbies: Other than football, John plays golf.

Other, just as interesting stuff: Likes Chinese food and Mcdonalds - although not too often! Been to the Bahama’s on holiday - if you wanna go again JT and need a companion...yes please!! Also, John was voted Chelsea’s Young Player of the Year in his first season of YTS, a year earlier than usual, and was voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year in 2001, ahead of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbiank, and after only his first full season in the first team :)