• Premier League

Zamora: I'll shake Terry's hand

ESPN staff
September 14, 2012
John Terry was found not guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand © PA Photos
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QPR striker Bobby Zamora has moved to calm relations between his club and Chelsea by insisting he will shake John Terry's hand.

The two teams are in discussions about how to deal with the pre-match handshake ritual ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash, which is the first meeting between the sides since Terry was found not guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, the QPR defender, in the corresponding fixture last season.

There have been suggestions that some QPR players may snub Terry's offer of a handshake - but Zamora will not be one of them.

"I've known John Terry for years and he's a very good friend of mine," Zamora said in the Sun. "We grew up together and of course I'll shake his hand if he's playing on Saturday.

"All this stuff happened a long time before I joined QPR. I came in as an outsider to it and I won't be paying attention to any of it. John is a very good player and it's going to be a real battle between us. I'm sure it's not going to be an enjoyable game with him coming through the back and smashing the life out of me.

"But that's what he's been like ever since we played together in Barking for Senrab when we were 13 along with Ledley King, Paul Konchesky and Jlloyd Samuel. My abiding image of JT then was a box-to-box midfielder with a curtains haircut, smashing in headers from corners.

"We've stayed in touch ever since and for me this game will simply be a case of getting out there, doing my job and getting points on the board for QPR."

Terry is being investigated by the FA over whether or not he racially abused Ferdinand, which he denies.

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