AN 86th-minute substitution at the end of a League Cup cruise past Aston Villa may have appeared fairly normal at the time – but it turned into a moment of club history.
As John Terry entered the pitch for the first time, it would become No.1 of 717 appearances for a team he would captain to multiple league titles.
John Terry broke into the Chelsea team in the late 1990s
Coming on for Romanian defender Dan Petrescu, the centre-back entered a Chelsea team of Olympic champions, tough-tackling midfielders, and future managers.
Here, SunSport details the starting XI that beat Villa 4-1 on that night and where they are now.
Contents
GK: DMITRI KHARINE
A £400,000 purchase from CSKA Moscow in 1992, Russian shot-stopper Kharine won gold at the 1998 Olympics but was second-choice by this third round clash. He left for Celtic at the end of the campaign.
A coaching career has taken the 51-year-old through Luton, Stevenage and currently with National League South side Hemel Hempstead.
RB: DAN PETRESCU
A Blues favourite during his five years with the club, Petrescu began a management career in his homeland of Romania after retiring.
Currently in charge of CFR Cluj, he has travelled the world overseeing the likes of Jiangsu Suning, Kuban Krasnodar, Al-Arabi – but was recently hospitalised by coronavirus.
Dan Petrescu hass won a number of titles in Romania
CB: MICHAEL DUBERRY
Enfield-born defender Duberry came through the Chelsea academy before stints in the Premier League with Leeds and Reading.
Retiring in 2013, Duberry set up his own company specialising in training executives and senior leaders.
CB: BERNARD LAMBOURDE
Something of a cult hero, centre-back Lambourde’s burst through the middle set up Gianluca Villa’s leveller on this October night.
The Frenchman, 49, quit football after spells with Bastia, Nancy and Al Wahda and is now back at first club Cannes as general director.
LB: CELESTINE BABAYARO
Nigerian defender Babayaro, also an Olympic champion, enjoyed seven years at Stamford Bridge.
Once declared bankrupt, nowadays he can be found operating as a football agent and made headlines earlier in the year when criticising Joseph Yobo’s appointment as Nigeria national team boss.
CM: JODY MORRIS
Another product of the Chelsea system, 41-year-old Morris is the one of two members of this XI still with the club.
A period in charge of the academy earned him a move to Frank Lampard’s Derby in 2018, and he followed the former midfielder back to West London as his assistant.
Jody Morris (right) can be found prowling the touchline with Frank Lampard
CM: DENNIS WISE
Blues legend Wise experienced a promising career as a manager, in charge of Millwall, Swindon and Leeds, before an ill-fated move to Newcastle in 2008.
Widely hated by Toon fans while executive director under Mike Ashley, Wise left after just over a year on Tyneside and has recently been offering his opinions on the game as a pundit.
CM: GUS POYET
A fiery character on the pitch, the Uruguayan has made a strong career as a passionate, technical coach.
First finding success with Brighton, Poyet memorably kept Sunderland up in 2014 by inflicting Jose Mourinho’s first home league defeat at Chelsea – with Bordeaux his last club.
ST: GIANLUCA VILLA
As player-manager, Vialli’s hat-trick past Villa made the game safe enough for the young Terry to make his debut off the bench.
Aged 56, the Italian has released a number of books, worked as a commentator and co-founded an investment firm. Earlier in the year, he revealed the all-clear confirmation after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
ST: MARK NICHOLLS
Having not quite made the grade at Chelsea as a young forward, Nicholls embarked upon a journeyman career around the lower leagues.
Torquay, Northwood and Beaconsfield are just three of the clubs he turned out for with the 43-year-old last seen at Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division club North Greenford United.
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ST: TORE-ANDRE FLO
Striker Flo, born in the Norwegian village of Flo, appeared for Chelsea through four seasons, winning the FA and League Cup.
And, like Morris, the 47-year-old is an example of the club inviting back former stars with Flo currently the club’s loan player technical coach.
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By: Marc Mayo
Title: John Terry’s Chelsea team-mates from 1998 debut against Aston Villa: Where are Babayaro, Vialli and Flo now?
Sourced From: www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/12266344/john-terry-chelsea-debut-xi-where-are-they-now/
Published Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2020 12:16:09 +0000
