Footage emerges of John Terry hailing Alfie Gilchrist as Chelsea’s next big star from the academy earlier this season… after defender scored first goal for the club against Everton
- Alfie Gilchrist scored his first goal for Chelsea in the 6-0 defeat to Everton
- He comes from a family of blues fans and has been working at the club since he was eight
- Championship hopefuls fall at the final hurdle! Who will seize the day to reach the Premier League from here? Listen to the It’s all Kicking Off podcast
John Terry’s effusive praise for Alfie Gilchrist and insistence that he will be the next star to emerge from Chelsea’s academy has resurfaced online following the 20-year-old’s first goal for the Blues.
In December, the former Chelsea captain said he expects ‘big things’ from the youngster in the near future.
‘He’s a really good player.’ Terry told supporters during a question and answer session. ‘He has an incredible attitude. He’s been at the club since he was eight years old.’
The Blues legend went on to say that he hoped the defender would make one or two appearances this season, but Gilchrist had already exceeded those expectations even before scoring his first goal for his boyhood club in the 6-0 defeat of Everton.
Stamford Bridge were already on the move after Cole Palmer’s first-half hat-trick set them on their way to a dominant win, before three more goals were scored in the second 45 minutes.
Chelsea fans were delighted when academy star Alfie Gilchrist scored his first goal for the club
John Terry picked the young defender when asked which Chelsea academy player he expects to become a star
Gilchrist coolly sent his effort into the bottom corner past a helpless Jordan Pickford and ran off in wild celebration before being mobbed by his Chelsea teammates.
Chants of ‘he’s one of our own’ rang out at Stamford Bridge as Mauricio Pochettino’s side completed their most impressive performance of a difficult season.
The Chelsea academy is renowned for producing players who have had an impact on the first team in recent years.
The 20-year-old Blues academy star was mobbed by his teammates after scoring against Everton
The likes of Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi are just some of the academy players who have had an impact not only on Chelsea, but also on other clubs in the Premier League and Europe.
The Blues’ heavy win lifted them to ninth in the Premier League and reignited their ambitions of European qualification. Pochettino’s side are just three points behind Newcastle in sixth place with a game in hand.