Why fans should stop booing John Terry - it's time to let it go

By Darren Lewis

Published 09:44 09/03/10

• 

Apologies for returning to the John Terry booing debate but surely the time has come for it to stop now.

I wonder if there is another nation that mullers its top players like fans are continuing to do up and down the country with Terry.

He was subjected to another bucketload on Sunday by Stoke's fans and, let's be fair, he'd be the first to admit he has earned it following the news of his relationship with Wayne Bridge's ex.

But there is something unseemly about grown men (and women) taking their children to football matches to spout the filth being directed in Terry's direction now.

There is something not quite right about the demand of football fans to be able to vent their spleen at Terry as if the transgression he has committed was actually against THEM.

This isn't just directed at Stoke fans as I was at Wolves when he got it and I have been at several of his home games when Chelsea fans have had to drown out the abuse from visiting supporters aimed at their captain.

I just think its time to let it go. Fabio Capello has drawn a line under it by sacking Terry as his captain. Chelsea have drawn a line under things by continuing to place their faith in Terry and I just don't see there being anywhere to go with this issue.

As I said last week, Terry has needed only to pick up a newspaper of tune in to a radio station to know just how low his stock has fallen with the country.

Yet, to his immense credit, Terry maintained in the wake of Sunday's game that the Stoke fans had every right to have a pop. Indeed he insisted he was able to use it as an inspiration to help Chelsea into the FA Cup semi-finals.

But what would happen if Terry, one day, were to snap and have a pop back at one of the fans abusing him. Every man has his limits, what if one day Terry found himself sick to the back teeth of the vile chants and reached his?

The fans would have a field day with him. No matter how bad his extreme provocation may have been. He'd get it in the neck. There is something not quite right about that either.

Fancy winning £3,000 for FREE this month? Play Mirror Football Streak for your chance to win cash prizes! Start predicting now!