Terry happy to draw the line under ugly confrontations with referees

The Chelsea skipper is in favour of a rule change which would only allow team captains to speak to officials over contentious decisions on the pitch.

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His remarks come just days after his club and international team-mate Ashley Cole issued an apology for his horror tackle on Tottenham's Alan Hutton and for showing a lack of respect towards referee Mike Riley as he was shown the yellow card during their 4-4 draw.

Now Terry says it is time for the FA to get rid of mass confrontations between players and referees.

"I do agree there has to be a line drawn and confronting the referee has to be taken out of the game," said Terry.

"I think we have to give it a go and if it doesn't work then the FA and the officials have to say that. But we have to try these things."

Terry was criticised in many quarters for running over to Riley when he saw the Tottenham staff react angrily to Cole's challenge on Wednesday night. But Terry played down suggestions he was trying to influence the official.

"I saw their bench jump up and I ran forward to tell Mike Riley not to listen or be intimidated by their bench trying to force him into a decision," explained Terry.

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"I spoke to him and he told me 'It was a high tackle and it was going to be a booking', I agreed and walked away.

"There was no argument from me or anyone else close to Mike Riley and I thought he handled it fantastically well.

"Us players have got to set an example to the younger kids playing the game and people watching. But it is a natural reaction when a tackle is made. The fans show their frustration and whistle at the referee and the players have that same reaction because we are all so passionate about the game.

"It is a case of Chelsea appealing for what they feel is right at the time on the pitch. The club have spoken to the players and the manager about it but at the moment we don't see we are doing it any more than any other club."

Cole in particular has been criticised for his reaction following the foul on Hutton, turning his back on Riley as the yellow card was issued.

Terry defended his team-mate and told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "Ashley has apologised so that matter can be left where it is at the moment. I know we are role models and we have to set examples for younger kids. That will come but we do need to calm it down a little bit, not Chelsea, the whole football environment itself.

"I don't think it has got out of hand or it is getting out of hand, it is just being publicised and being spoken about a lot more. These tackles have gone on for years in the game and have never been spoken about before. They are normally a booking and you get on with it."

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Chelsea face Arsenal this afternoon in a game that threatens to boil over into more ugly confrontations given that Emmanuel Eboue left Terry out of the game for over two months by breaking his foot in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium earlier this season.

But Terry refutes suggestions there is any bad blood between the two clubs.

"I don't think there is ill-feeling - it is just London rivalry and two teams fighting at the top of the league to try and win the Premier League," said Terry.

"Eboue came to see how I was after the game and wished me the best. It was nice for him to go out of his way to do that. At the same time it is a tackle that is going to happen for me as a defender and in his career he will get a bad tackle against him. It is part and parcel of the game and as a player you just have to get on and deal with it."

Former ref David Elleray insists officials would back any move to give captains the sole licence to speak with them over controversial decisions during a game.

Elleray said: "We would be happy to go along with it certainly. What we don't want is to ban players from ever speaking to a referee during a game because communication is very important. But in terms of major decisions, I think we need to.

"There is a natural reaction among lots of players that when something happens, they all get involved and therefore by trying to change that by saying only the captain can speak to the referee, as long as it doesn't give the captain licence to abuse and disrespect the referee, I think we may then begin to challenge this natural reaction of players."

The FA's director of football development, Sir Trevor Booking, added: "The key is what, at the start of next season, can the professional game make sure they adhere to. It is no good doing something only to have several incidents two weeks later of everyone breaking the code they decided to put in place."