Thanks is owed to Claudio Ranieri as Chelsea give John Terry the perfect farewell party

As John Terry reeled off a lengthy list of names of people he wanted to thank during his farewell speech, one key name was conspicuous by its absence.

In the heat of the moment, while struggling to fight back tears, Terry can be forgiven for any oversight during his final moments on the Stamford Bridge pitch as a player.

Head coach Antonio Conte, owner Roman Abramovich, even departing assistant manager Steve Holland, were lauded by Terry, microphone in hand, while he took centre stage one last time.

But up in the stands sat Claudio Ranieri, who gave him a chance to break through at Chelsea 17 years ago and was the first coach to name him team captain, too.

Ranieri’s contribution to Chelsea has been easily forgotten over the past decade. Indeed, he is most famous for taking Leicester to the Premier League title 12 months ago.

As the Italian watched his old club get their hands on the trophy that he enjoyed holding this time last year, however, Ranieri must have still felt a great sense of satisfaction — even if Terry had failed to mention him.

One of the first things the Italian did after being put in charge of Chelsea in September 2000 was to watch a reserve game between the Blues and Coventry City. It was one of the wisest moves he ever made. For in the line-up at the back that night was Terry, who had been tipped to do great things but had made just eight starts for the club in the previous two years.

Earlier that summer, Chelsea had agreed to sell the centre-half to Huddersfield Town for £750,000 only for the player to reject the move. How might the club’s history have been changed if Terry’s decision had been different?

I was at Stamford Bridge to see Terry in action for the reserves that evening, too, and it was clear that he was the star player on the pitch.

Not only was he an imposing leader at the back, he could pass the ball comfortably with both feet. Ranieri was suitably impressed. Within a few months, Terry was a regular in the first XI ahead of World Cup-winner Frank Leboeuf. By December 2001, he was wearing the armband whenever Marcel Desailly was absent.

It is hard to imagine any of the club’s current Academy graduates being given similar chances today but Terry benefited from being in the right place at the right time, when Chelsea were members of the top six but not remotely considered part of the elite.

Yet Terry was also in a different league to any youth player who has come through the ranks over the last 20 years, in ability and mentality.

Chelsea have won 15 major trophies during Terry’s time at the Bridge and he has been the driving force behind all of them, even this term when his role has been vastly reduced.

The 36-year-old’s departure will leave a gaping hole in the dressing room and training ground. How does a club known for its wealth find someone as influential to replace him?

Terry’s influence is why the club went out of their way to make yesterday as much about the player’s legacy as lifting the League trophy for a fifth time in 13 years.

Many football fans will have cringed at what took place in west London yesterday: from Terry filming a farewell message en route to the stadium, to his contrived substitution after the clock had ticked to minute 26, the number he has worn so proudly throughout his Chelsea career.

A grandiose farewell speech came shortly after the trophy ceremony and before Conte addressed the crowd.

To those who see only the negatives as far as Terry is concerned, it provided more ammunition that he likes to make everything all about him. The Chelsea supporters did not mind, nor did his team-mates as they walked out for kick-off wearing training tops saying ‘thank you JT’.

This Saturday, Terry will once again be relegated to a bit-part role when Chelsea take on Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, so this was the best opportunity for any kind of tribute.

As his potential successor as permanent Chelsea captain Gary Cahill said: “It was fantastic, the perfect finish for John. To lead the team out one more time, to have his kids as mascots.

“Everything was right about the day. We wanted to celebrate the title win, the record of winning 30 Premier League games and to celebrate John.”

Surely few can argue against that.