England ban Terry’s wake-up call

JOHN TERRY has revealed how his utopian lifestyle owes a great deal to being axed as England U-21 skipper almost three years ago.

The Chelsea captain was experiencing the lowest point of his career in early 2002 when he was charged with affray and actual bodily harm in relation to an incident at a London nightclub.

The FA refused Terry permission to play international football until the resolution of the case, which saw the young defender being cleared of both charges in August 2002. The FA’s decision initially riled Terry but prompted him to consider his future and priorities, and now he has both a stable personal life and the captaincy of the Premiership leaders.