5 of the best homegrown players in Chelsea’s history

#1 John Terry

John Terry salutes the Chelsea supporters after another Premier League title

John Terry stands out as the homegrown player who managed to carve out a place for himself at Chelsea during the most successful era in the club’s history.

Terry began his youth career at West Ham but joined Chelsea at 15 and went on to make his first-team debut at 17. By the age of 20, he had begun to establish himself as a first-team regular and in 2004, aged 24, he was made club captain by new coach Jose Mourinho.

So began a period of unparalleled success, with Terry a consistent presence at the heart of the Chelsea defence. Five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one Europa League and the crowning glory of the Champions League were won as Roman Abramovich’s riches certified Chelsea as a key player in domestic and European football.

When Terry left for Aston Villa last summer, he did so as the most successful captain in Chelsea’s history, having made a total of 717 appearances for the club in all competitions.