HIGH in Stamford Bridge's Matthew Harding end, a banner bears testament to John Terry's standing at Chelsea. Next to a picture of Terry's face, contorted in a caveman roar, are three simple words: 'Captain, Leader, Legend'.
Now, on the one hand this is just one example of Chelsea's slightly desperate attempt to convince the more established members of English football's elite that they are a 'real' football club, with proper fans, dyed-in-the-wool players and a history to call their own, and not just a noveau-riche arriviste with as much class as an Iceland frozen food party mix.
But - and it's a big but - if there is one player at Chelsea who could just lay claim to this sort of hyperbole, it is Terry.
Frank Lampard may have his own band of acolytes at the Bridge but the midfielder is himself a footballing convert, having swapped east London for west. Terry, in contrast, is a true blue-blood, which makes his flirting with Manchester City all the more startling.
Even more shocking is the amount of vitriol generated by a story which, even now, must be considered closer to fantasy than reality. Terry has variously been labelled a money-grabber, a turn-coat and a liar, which all seems a bit rich - if you'll excuse the pun - given that Chelsea's status has been acquired solely through the chequebook.
The fact is, Roman Abramovich and chums are now discovering how the rest of the Premier League felt when the Russian first rolled into English football in 2003 and began firing oil-soaked dollar bills onto boardroom tables the length and breadth of the nation. And while the arrival of a new, irresistible force determined to shake up the status quo is a terrifying prospect for the Russian, the rest of us should raise a glass in celebration.
The higher echelons of the English game have become far too cosy in recent seasons, with the make-up of the top four a virtually done deal before a ball has been kicked. That sort of predictability breeds staleness and is ultimately to the detriment to the sport's long-term health, so City's ambition, while essentially self-serving, may actually be for the greater good.
Whether they succeed in luring Terry north is another matter. The odds must still be against it, given City's lack of credentials and the player's reluctance to sacrifice Champions League football in a World Cup year, but the mere fact that his future is up for debate sends a message which Chelsea would do well to heed.
Abramovich may just be about to discover that status, easily and quickly acquired, can be stripped bare just as fast.
