John Terry's guile and cunning made him a Chelsea hero, and might just get him another year

From the moment he signed the first professional contract of his career, on-pitch during a game at Stamford Bridge, John Terry has lived his life in public.

And for a man who has admitted "I wasn't great at school", and that his GCSE grades matched this, he has at times shown a remarkable aptitude for directing and influencing events and opinion.

In his Sunday night announcement, that his days were now numbered at the club for which he had been a part of the furniture for 18 years, Terry exhibited all of the guile and cunning that has made him Chelsea's most popular fan figure, perhaps of all time.

And in doing that, he looks to be attempting to pull those strings – with the ownership with the club, and in the hearts of the fans – for one last time.

Terry has made his name as his generation's greatest ever captain through a number of skills.

His never-say-die attitude, his strong leadership and direction of others, and his incredible ability to communicate are all parts of that.

And he has used those skills to manipulate his own image, at least with those who buy into the 'Captain, Leader, Legend' branding, to a status that stands taller than mere 'hero'.

In doing this, he has transmitted his own willingness to walk through walls for whatever team he might be playing for (with a handful of exceptions – only ever Chelsea or England) into the willingness of his personal supporters to do the same for him.

He has used that power to influence the game in a number of ways.

It can be seen week-in week-out on-pitch with referees – he is a master at using talk and actions to get the right decision when it is needed – something Chelsea may not realise is likely to leave the club with him.

His use of the media is also remarkably astute.

Like any sportsman of his status, he has agents and PRs to talk for him. But when Terry really wants to say something, he does it himself.

There are many stories that could be related here to illustrate the point, but probably best is the time he turned up on a train full of journalists returning from a managerial press conference at Chelsea's Cobham training ground.

It just so happened that he had a matter of importance in his career to discuss. And it just so happened that he managed to get home from training at Cobham and turn up on the platform at his local station (Oxshott) in time to board the same train, then get on the same carriage in which he would find Fleet Street's finest.

Though the words that followed could not be reported in direct quotes, it is clear that they influenced media coverage, which in turn influenced fan opinion and then the actions of the relevant football administrators towards his cause.

And here we are today.

It is impossible to say if Chelsea knew this particular hare would be set running by Terry on this particular Sunday night in Milton Keynes.

But surely, having related the matter to his agent on the phone before the Arsenal match, and having had him in the office to talk over the decision that had been made the next day, they will have been expecting it at some point.

He says he is clear, from those discussions, that it is all over. Unless a manager about to be chosen by the same people who have just cut Terry loose decides to go against his own new employer's company line.

Chelsea, for their part, are insistent that channels of dialogue remain open.

But, barring something momentous, this would appear to be it.

Terry knew when he made the statements about his looming departure what effect it would have – and that is certainly reflected in the outpouring of emotion seen on social media in response.

There is no doubt the same will follow when Chelsea play away at Watford on Wednesday night, and at home against Manchester United on Sunday.

Terry is a master of more than one game, and he will hope his skills in this one will be able to buy him an unlikely extra year at Chelsea.