Chelsea Football Club News

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Roberto Di Matteo

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
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Terry denies FA charge

15 Dec 2006 - 07:43:12

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Chelsea captain John Terry has denied a Football Association charge of improper conduct relating to comments he made about referee Graham Poll.

Terry claimed Poll had given him conflicting reasons for his second yellow card in the Blues' surprise 2-1 defeat by Tottenham on November 5.

The FA claimed the England skipper's comments questioned the integrity of the match official - who was later cleared of saying anything inappropriate to the Chelsea players during the match.

"On the pitch Graham Poll said to me that it was for the barge on (Hossam) Ghaly where I just kept running. Then after the game he then said to me it was for the fall when me and Ledley King fell so, you know, he's obviously had a look at it, or got people to look at it and decided that's probably the best option for him and it covers every angle for him," Terry told Chelsea TV in the aftermath of the match.

The original FA statement relating to the incident said: "This claim is denied by Graham Poll. The charge has been brought on the basis that John Terry's comments question Graham Poll's integrity and therefore constitute improper conduct."

Terry has requested a personal hearing to fight the charge of improper conduct.