John Terry's lawyers attend first court hearing in Anton Ferdinand racist abuse case Terry could be fined up to £2,500 if found guilty, which is only a fraction of his weekly wage, but such a verdict could have an impact on his lucrative sponsorship deals and relationship with Chelsea team-mates drawn from around the globe. Allegations of racial abuse have cast a shadow over the Premier League this season. Liverpool's Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra during a match in October in a case dealt with by the football authorities. Chelsea Football Club has stood by Terry, who as the long-serving club captain is adored by the Blues fans for his footballing commitment and passion on the pitch. Terry missed Chelsea's match against Swansea on the eve of the court case with a knee injury and coach Andres Villas-Boas said on Monday he would consider giving Terry time away from his football commitments to clear his name if it was needed. Allegations against the England captain come at an awkward time with just over four months until the Euro 2012 championship begins in June. Until recently, Terry was expected to form England's central defensive partnership with Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand, the older brother of QPR defender Anton. "I will fight tooth and nail to prove my innocence," Terry said in December after CPS announced plans to prosecute him.