Terry hearing to go into fourth day

John Terry will return for a fourth day of his disciplinary hearing on Thursday into a charge the Chelsea skipper used racist language on the pitch.

Terry spent eight hours at the FA independent regulatory hearing on Wednesday. He denies a charge that he used a racist slur towards QPR's Anton Ferdinand in October last year.

The 31-year-old was accompanied by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck for the duration of the hearing and both departed shortly before 4.30pm.

Terry was found not guilty in a magistrates' court in July of a racially-motivated public order offence against Ferdinand.

The FA's decision to press ahead with their own charges infuriated Terry to the extent that on the eve of the disciplinary hearing he announced he was quitting international football with immediate effect, saying his position was "untenable".

Terry's legal team had argued the governing body's own rules dictated his acquittal in court means the case cannot proceed but the FA believed their charge was distinct from the court charge.