Football: CHELSEA'S SHAME

JOHN TERRY will be cast into the international wilderness tomorrow.

The FA will formally announce that the former England Under-21 captain (right) will be suspended indefinitely from playing for his country.

But Chelsea appear to have other plans. They made it clear they would not follow the FA line when Terry appeared as a sub in the goalless FA Cup tie at Norwich yesterday. And manager Claudio Ranieri said: "I had no worries about playing John. He is a good man."

Even Ken Bates was involved in controversy when told by a Canaries fan he should sack Terry. The Chelsea chairman allegedly replied: "Why don't you bugger off? You are a pain in the arse."

Terry was charged by police with assault and affray following an alleged drunken attack on a doorman at the Wellington Club in Kinghtsbridge in the early hours of Friday. Terry, 21, fellow Chelsea star Jody Morris and Wimbledon youngster Desmond Byrne were out celebrating the birth of Morris's baby.

Although the FA have put off making a public statement they have all but decided Terry's fate before meeting at their Soho HQ tomorrow. England boss Sven Goran Eriksson will not be there because he's in Sweden on holiday but he will have an input in the FA's decision.

Terry, due to appear in magistrates' court on Wednesday, is in a no-win situation. If he pleads guilty, bringing the matter to a head quickly, he will be overlooked for the World Cup. If he pleads not guilty then the trial could drag on for more than a year.

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