As John Terry leaves Chelsea, these are five unforgettable moments from his career

After 22 long years, Chelsea and John Terry decided to call time on their long relationship, one which started when the former England captain moved from West Ham in 1995 at the age of 15.

Four Premier League winners medals, five FA Cup triumphs, three Football League Cups, one Champions League and Europa League wins later, the former West Ham youth prodigy ends up as Chelsea’s most decorated player ever, definitely earning his place in the pantheon of the club’s greats.

Terry wasn’t squeaky clean and had more than his fair share of controversies as the ‘Captain. Leader. Legend’ tag had come into question on many an occasion, but for a club which has become known for its ruthlessness under its current owner Roman Abramovich, Chelsea have stood by their leader more often than not.

Here are five of the most pivotal moments from his Chelsea career:

New management and first Premier League title as captain

Fast tracked into the first team at 18, Terry enjoyed considerable game time from the 2000-01 season when he partnered French international and club captain at the time Marcel Desailly. He would also be voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year that year after making 23 starts as the Blues finished sixth under Claudio Ranieri.

Soon Roman Abramovich would take over and as Desailly left the club, William Gallas would partner Terry. When the Frenchman signed for Arsenal, Ricardo Carvalho would become Terry’s fellow centre-back as Chelsea stormed to the title in Jose Mourinho’s first season at Chelsea.

With the ever-reliable Petr Cech between the sticks, Terry and Chelsea would break several defensive records en route to the highest points total in the Premier League era as the Czech keeper ended the season with a record 24 clean sheets.

Only Eidur Gudjohnsen and Frank Lampard would make more appearances for Chelsea than Terry that season as the latter scored an important late winner against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. In a record-shattering season, it was PFA Player of the Year Terry who led from the front.

Champions League miss and heartbreak

In the years that followed Chelsea’s title triumph, they won another one in 2005-’06 and Terry even kept goal for the final few minutes of a league encounter against Reading as Chelsea won 1-0.

Mourinho would subsequently leave the club and many managers would try their hands at replicating the Portuguese’s success at Stamford Bridge including Avram Grant, who led Chelsea to the 2007-’08 Champions League final against domestic rivals Manchester United.

Terry, who dislocated his shoulder in a clash with Cech in a match against Bolton two weeks prior to the final, recovered in time for the final and led his team out at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Frank Lampard would equalise for Chelsea after Cristiano Ronaldo put Manchester United ahead as Didier Drogba would get sent off. With the game heading towards sudden death, Terry’s standing foot slipped as the captain could have ensured Chelsea’s triumph with a successful penalty conversion. Nicolas Anelka’s miss meant that the Terry missed out on club football’s most celebrated prize and the captain was left in tears.

Allegations of racial abuse and extra-marital affairs

In his time at Chelsea, John Terry has been accused of drunken disorderliness with American tourists in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, of assaulting a nightclub bouncer, of receiving kickbacks from a reporter for arranging a guided tour of Stamford Bridge but none threatened to singe his career as the allegations of an extra-marital affairs with ex-England and Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel and racial abuse against Anton Ferdinand.

The allegations were never proven but Bridge and Terry never saw eye to eye after the claims were out in the open and erstwhile England coach Fabio Capello stripped the latter of the captaincy to relieve some of the tension within the England camp.

In November 2011, the police got involved when there were complaints of racial abuse lodged against Terry for using derogatory words against Queens Park Rangers’ defender Anton Ferdinand in the middle of a Premier League match.

Terry was declared not guilty by a court and when the FA stripped him of England’s captaincy, the saga took another turn as Fabio Capello resigned just months before the Euros. There were some who called the FA’s process a joke as Terry was presumed to have gotten off lightly. Chelsea themselves were accused of being too lenient on their captain.

Champions League win and meme

The 2011-’12 season was a particularly difficult one for Terry amidst the above allegations of racial abuse and manager Andre Villas-Boas’ failed power-play and the team’s poor performance in the Premier League.

Villas-Boas attempted to curb player power as he benched both Terry and Drogba in an attempt to send out a message but was dismissed with the team faring poorly in the League and a 3-1 first leg loss to Napoli leaving their Champions League dream in tatters in the Round of 16.

Terry sparked the comeback under interim boss Roberto Di Matteo as his goal started a 4-1 comeback win over Napoli. Chelsea would finish sixth in the league, first time that they would finish outside the CL places since 2002.

The captain would get sent off for a reckless knee into Alexis Sanchez’s back during the second leg of their semifinal against Barcelona but Chelsea would hold firm to draw 2-2 and advance to the final.

Even though Terry was suspended and wore a suit prior to the final whistle, Drogba’s decisive spot-kick ensured that Chelsea beat Bayern Munich for their first CL title. Terry would come dressed in his kit for the trophy presentation, making him the subject of an internet meme celebrating at important historic moments in his Chelsea attire.

Last league triumph and Premier League record

After Di Matteo’s sacking, Mourinho would return to the hotseat in 2013, extending his captain’s contract by one more year. Terry was massive and started all 38 Premier League games in the 2014-’15 season as Eden Hazard’s brilliance combined with defensive solidity laid the ground for his fourth and final league win.

Chelsea also won the League Cup, courtesy of a 2-0 win over Tottenham in which Terry opened the scoring and was named the man of the match.

On May 10, Terry scored his 39th Premier League goal against Liverpool as he surpassed David Unsworth as the highest scoring defender in the history of the competition.