Captain. Leader. Legend.
That is how we have come to see him and know him. A man committed to the Blues forever. However, it could all have been so wrong at the youth level, when JT had the chance to choose clubs likes Manchester United and Arsenal over an under-achieving and mediocre Chelsea team.
What did he do? The story is one for the fables.
“I had the option between Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United and to be fair all of them went above and beyond,” he told the Footballer’s Guide to Football podcast. “The moment I walked into Chelsea, it just felt right. I know that’s going to sound really bizarre.
“Again, my dad never wanted me to sign for Chelsea. Actually, on the pitch of me signing my schoolboy form at the club, my dad refused to go on the pitch with me.
“I’m in the tunnel, the players are coming off the pitch and I’m waiting in the tunnel, Glenn Hoddle goes past and my dad’s going, ‘You’re not signing for this football club, we should sign for Manchester United’.
“Again, me being me at the time I’m going, ‘I’m 100 per cent I’m signing here, if you don’t come out with me I’m going out to sign’. You needed a parent, so my mum said she would come and sign it with me, my dad’s going mad at my mum, ‘No you wont’.
“There’s a picture of my mum and Graham Rix signing my contract, but my dad refused and absolutely kicked off that night. Again, me being the character I was, I knew Chelsea was right for me.
“One night that was probably supposed to be one of the best nights of my life turned out to be a tough one for a young 14-year-old to be honest.
“I just knew and loved Chelsea from the moment I walked in and never looked back, I still love the club and look out for every result now.”
See More: Chelsea transfer rumors 2020!
