John Terry facing FA trial over comments to Anton Ferdinand

John Terry faces another fight to be cleared of using racist language towards Anton Ferdinand after the Football Association decided he still had a case to 
answer.

A fortnight after being acquitted by a court of racially abusing QPR defender Ferdinand in October, Chelsea captain Terry was last night charged by the FA over the same incident.

Despite being given a week to respond, Terry’s reaction was instant, the 31-year-old saying in a statement: “I deny the charge and I will be requesting the opportunity to attend the commission for a personal hearing.”

Moments earlier, the FA said in their statement: “Chelsea captain John Terry has been charged by the Football Association with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, the FA have confirmed.

“It is further alleged that this included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Ferdinand.”

Terry was found not guilty of calling Ferdinand a “f****** black c***” during a five-day trial at Westminster Magistrates Court that ended two weeks ago, with District Judge Howard Riddle ruling there was reasonable doubt whether the words were intended as an insult.

Terry has always maintained they were not, insisting they formed part of a denial to an accusation of racism from Ferdinand during Chelsea’s Barclays Premier League defeat at QPR on 23 October. The Chelsea skipper was acquitted on that basis but the FA refused to drop their own investigation into the matter, which they had put on hold the moment Terry was charged with a criminal offence.

They confirmed last night they had sought advice from “an external Independent QC” before deciding to act.

They added: “This charge is the result of the FA’s long-standing enquiries into this matter, which were placed on hold pending the outcome of the criminal trial, and relates to rules governing football only.”