Former Chelsea defender John Terry will be welcomed back to his former stomping ground as Aston Villa’s assistant manager when Aston Villa take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Terry spent almost his whole career with the Blues after coming through the youth ranks to go on and captain the side to a number of major honors.
Whilst at the club, Terry won five Premier League titles, five FA Cup’s and three League Cups; as well as the Champions League and Europa League.
Chelsea could play a video on the Stamford Bridge big screen ahead of kick-off, documenting Terry’s greatest moments in Chelsea blue as a tribute to the former defender.
During the pre-match conference, Frank Lampard hailed Chelsea’s “greatest captain” John Terry but insisted that the Blues are fully focused on winning the game
‘The reception he’ll quite rightly get, the most decorated captain, the greatest captain who won everything,‘ Lampard said. ‘He feels the club, everyone knows that.
‘It will be pretty emotional for John, and he deserves that moment.’
Asked what made him jump straight into management while Terry became a No 2, he said: ‘It was just opportunity. I worked here at the academy and was working through my coaching badges.
‘I jumped in and took the option to give it a go. Because I felt I was ready. It was definitely a risk.’
Lampard also admitted that discussions never took place to bring John Terry back to Chelsea as part of his coaching staff this season.“It was never an option that was spoken about,” Lampard said. “I think John was very settled at Aston Villa.
“When I took the Derby job he was already on his own path then and they obviously got promoted in the summer.“John was very comfortable there and working away. I had the team that I worked with here.
Lampard will not be facing John Terry for the first time after the two-faced each other in the Championship play-off final last season with Aston Villa coming up victorious.
