Steve Bruce has revealed that he came close to signing John Terry during his time in charge of Huddersfield.
Bruce came close to taking England skipper to Huddersfield
Steve Bruce has revealed that he came close to signing John Terry during his time in charge of Huddersfield.
The Chelsea centre-half was an 18-year-old rookie back then, yet to make the breakthrough at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues, yet to be convinced by his talents, sent Terry on loan to Nottingham Forest to help aid his development.
It was during this spell at the City Ground that the youngster's potential caught the eye of Bruce.
The now Sunderland manager admits he was impressed by what he saw and subsequently lodged a £750,000 offer to Chelsea.
The Blues accepted the bid, but Terry had no desire to join Huddersfield and has since gone on to become a talismanic leader for both club and country.
"One day when I was Huddersfield boss I went to do my coaching badges at Nottingham Forest," said Bruce.
Close
"David Platt (Forest boss at the time) invited me and Gianluca Vialli there. It was a cold miserable afternoon and I saw John Terry in his short sleeves rolling his shirt up - he was on loan there.
"I thought, 'Christ, he'll do me. I like him'. I bid £750,000 for him and Chelsea accepted it. But the boy didn't want to leave Chelsea at the time.
"I was close. At the death he didn't want to go.
"He's everything you'd want in a central defender, he's a born leader. On a cold day in January he was just like 'Bring it on'.
"He was fantastic. It was a lot of money back then. Instead I paid £750,000 to bring Chris Lucketti from Bury.
"John Terry was only a boy then."
