Ignoring the pressure and attention thrust upon him in the wake of losing the England captaincy in February, John Terry turned in another season of remarkable consistency in which he was rewarded by becoming the first Chelsea captain to lift the Double.
In a World Cup year, the England captain was never likely to be too far from the headlines, which began in pre-season with nouveau riche Manchester City wanting to take the Chelsea captain north. They were politely rebuffed and he re-affirmed his Chelsea commitment by signing a five-year contract.
On the field, Terry did not miss a game through injury, and while others around him suffered with fitness - every other Chelsea defender had a prolonged issue at some point in the season - it was he who played out the entire campaign alongside either Ricardo Carvalo, Branislav Ivanovic or Alex.
Whoever he was paired with, the results were usually the same. Imperious against Liverpool at the Bridge in October, he blocked, tackled and cleared his way to another clean sheet.
After two set-piece goals brought our downfall at Aston Villa, we responded with seven shutouts in eight games, including one against Manchester United, where the captain rose highest to head the game's only goal, and another at the Emirates, where a left-footed Terry pass helped create Didier Drogba's first of the afternoon. His range of passing on either foot has become a valuable attacking weapon, as was shown with Ashley Cole's Goal of the Season against Sunderland in January.
Defeat at Eastlands in early December would have hurt, as would the mistake that allowed Everton back in to draw at the Bridge a week later, but personal and collective form were recovered in January, when the headlines about Terry's private life began to appear.
The response was predictable, as the 29-year-old headed home the winner at Burnley to seize three points, and then his flick-on to Drogba set us on the way against Arsenal at home but low points would follow.
At Everton Louis Saha twice escaped his attentions to seal a win for the Merseysiders - three times this season the Frenchman got the better of JT - and then City profited from hesitation with Carvalho after Wolves had failed to make a missed clearance pay.
Those incidents are remembered now serve only to demonstrate the spotlight under which Terry found himself, there were others too whose form momentarily dropped, and it should be pointed out that no man played more minutes for Chelsea this season than the captain.
He returned to the scoresheet to see us into the FA Cup semi-finals, before watching on with joy as those at the other end began to grab the headlines with their attacking verve.
A red card at Tottenham, where he was unfairly criticised after having to cover out of position team-mates, was the only blot on the rest of the campaign, with other excellent displays coming against United and Liverpool.
Having lifted his third Premier League trophy, he did the same with the FA Cup after overcoming a metatarsal scare, and almost netted after heading against the crossbar.
Now it is to the World Cup with England, and while he no longer leads the side, there would be no man prouder to emulate 1966.
In a World Cup year, the England captain was never likely to be too far from the headlines, which began in pre-season with nouveau riche Manchester City wanting to take the Chelsea captain north. They were politely rebuffed and he re-affirmed his Chelsea commitment by signing a five-year contract.
On the field, Terry did not miss a game through injury, and while others around him suffered with fitness - every other Chelsea defender had a prolonged issue at some point in the season - it was he who played out the entire campaign alongside either Ricardo Carvalo, Branislav Ivanovic or Alex.
Whoever he was paired with, the results were usually the same. Imperious against Liverpool at the Bridge in October, he blocked, tackled and cleared his way to another clean sheet.
After two set-piece goals brought our downfall at Aston Villa, we responded with seven shutouts in eight games, including one against Manchester United, where the captain rose highest to head the game's only goal, and another at the Emirates, where a left-footed Terry pass helped create Didier Drogba's first of the afternoon. His range of passing on either foot has become a valuable attacking weapon, as was shown with Ashley Cole's Goal of the Season against Sunderland in January.
Defeat at Eastlands in early December would have hurt, as would the mistake that allowed Everton back in to draw at the Bridge a week later, but personal and collective form were recovered in January, when the headlines about Terry's private life began to appear.
The response was predictable, as the 29-year-old headed home the winner at Burnley to seize three points, and then his flick-on to Drogba set us on the way against Arsenal at home but low points would follow.
At Everton Louis Saha twice escaped his attentions to seal a win for the Merseysiders - three times this season the Frenchman got the better of JT - and then City profited from hesitation with Carvalho after Wolves had failed to make a missed clearance pay.
Those incidents are remembered now serve only to demonstrate the spotlight under which Terry found himself, there were others too whose form momentarily dropped, and it should be pointed out that no man played more minutes for Chelsea this season than the captain.
He returned to the scoresheet to see us into the FA Cup semi-finals, before watching on with joy as those at the other end began to grab the headlines with their attacking verve.
A red card at Tottenham, where he was unfairly criticised after having to cover out of position team-mates, was the only blot on the rest of the campaign, with other excellent displays coming against United and Liverpool.
Having lifted his third Premier League trophy, he did the same with the FA Cup after overcoming a metatarsal scare, and almost netted after heading against the crossbar.
Now it is to the World Cup with England, and while he no longer leads the side, there would be no man prouder to emulate 1966.
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