Edifying stuff this ....

The court heard of "industrial language" used by players. Ferdinand told the court being called a "c**t" was fine. "But when someone brings your colour into it, it takes it to another level and it's very hurtful."

The chief magistrate Howard Riddle, who is trying the case, heard that Chelsea were down to nine men in the clash when Terry and Ferdinand began trading insults.

As Terry sat in the glass-panelled dock, Ferdinand stood in the witness box opposite. He told the court: "He called me a c**t, and I called him a c**t back. And he gave me a gesture as if to say my breath smelled.

"I said to him: 'How can you call me a c**t? You shagged your team-mate's missus, you're a c**t'."

This was a reference to Terry's alleged affair with his then team-mate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel.

As Ferdinand jogged down the pitch, he made a "slow fist pump" gesture with his right hand, indicating sex. After the match, the Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole told him: "You can't talk to JT like that."

Ferdinand was asked to meet Terry in the away team's dressing room. He said Terry asked him: "Do you think I racially abused you?"

Ferdinand told the court: "I was like: 'No.' I said: 'No, that never came out of my mouth.'" He said Cole then said: "Yeah, didn't you say that to me?" Ferdinand added: "I said: 'I didn't say that at all.'"

Ferdinand said he and Terry had agreed the incident was "just handbags" ? or banter.

Posted By: paulg, Jul 9, 15:14:09