Chris Sutton: John Terry’s 26th minute Chelsea send-off was “self-indulgent”

Chris Sutton admits John Terry’s Chelsea farewell at Stamford Bridge on Sunday was “self-indulgent” and that The Blues legend should not be handed a start in the Emirates FA Cup final purely out of appreciation.

The former Chelsea striker, speaking exclusively to Shoot! from Wembley Stadium ahead of Saturday’s cup final between The Blues and Arsenal, says the 36-year-old deserved a heroes send-off, but the whole occasion was “not for me”.

Terry received a guard of honour in the 26th minute – a tribute to his shirt number – during Sunday’s 5-1 Premier League win over already relegated Sunderland, with The Black Cats agreeing to put the ball out of play to allow the centre-half to be replaced by Gary Cahill.

Sutton, a BT Sport football expert, said, “[The game] was about John Terry wasn’t it really.

Terry is given a guard of honour by team-mates as he is substituted.

“Did Chelsea take their foot off the pedal? Well it wouldn’t have seemed so with the result, even though they didn’t have the same intensity. But it was a nice day all round really.

“It was self-indulgent, you can’t say anything else. But, he has been a great player, one of the best defenders that the Premier League has ever seen.

“It wasn’t a norm, was it. He has shown great service to the club, so I can understand why he got a good send-off, though I think most people would have thought, ‘Just not for me!’”

Then asked whether he thought Blues boss Antonio Conte should hand the skipper a start in Saturday’s FA Cup final as a reward for Terry’s 22-year service to the club – on what will ultimately be his last chance to play for Chelsea – Sutton replied, “No. To start the game, not a chance!”

Watch Arsenal v Chelsea in the Emirates FA Cup Final live on BT Sport 2 from 4:30pm on Saturday, May 27. BT Sport is your home of unmissable football from the Emirates FA Cup and Premier League. For more info visit btsport.com.