John Terry ripped into Tottenham's history after Jamie O'Hara claimed the north London club were historically bigger than Chelsea.
The Blues legend made a brutal joke at the expense of Tottenham's trophy cabinet, which had its first addition in 17 years when they won the Europa League last season.
Ahead of Saturday's derby, he phoned in to O'Hara's talkSPORT show after the host argued that Chelsea only became big when they 'bought the league' after Roman Abramovic took over in 2003.
'What on earth is he on about this morning, O'Hara?' Terry said. 'Even using those two words together, "Spurs" and "globally", should never be in the same sentence ever again.
'They're still doing their pre-season tours around north London, absolutely ridiculous.
'I've been invited to the game by Tottenham at the weekend. It's a 5:30 kick-off, they've asked me to get there at 5:29 and they've said they'll take me around the trophy cabinet and they'll have me in my seat by kick-off,' he joked.
'That's how miles off it they are.'
O'Hara and his co-host Gabby Agbonlahor saw the funny side, though the former stood firm in his opinions.
He had said earlier on Friday: ''Everyone sees Tottenham as a cup final in London. Chelsea treat it as a cup final.
'On recent success, Chelsea have obviously become a big club because of the investment that they got from Roman Abramovich.
'They bought the league, they bought a load of amazing players, and fair play to them.
'Chelsea weren't bigger than Tottenham before.'
And replying to Terry's voicenote, he said: 'Listen, JT, he played in the era when they were big. They had Roman Abramovich and he was unbelievable.
'But before then, they were nowhere near as big as Tottenham. They weren't!'
The debate has arisen ahead of Tottenham's clash with Chelsea at 5.30pm on Saturday and will be hotly contested in pubs across London.
Nowadays, seeing Chelsea with their five Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues, it might seem a bit of a moot debate. But is it?
Before Abramovic's arrival in 2003, Chelsea had won 10 elite-level trophies. Tottenham's total was 16.
Expand that to total trophies won and Chelsea's tally was 15, while Spurs were already on 27.
Moreover, we can get a good handle on how many points the two clubs have historically accrued, though different websites have slightly varying data.
In the all-time table for the Premier League and Division One combined, Chelsea have accrued 5,431 points - only eight points more than Tottenham's haul of 5,423. And that's in four more games (3,635 - 3,631). The margins are remarkably tight, with the figures taken from worldfootball.net.
Using another website, football365,we can see how many of those points were earned since the beginning of the Roman Abramovic era.
Since Abramovic arrived, Chelsea have picked up more points than any team: 1,663. Tottenham falter quite a way behind on 1,402.
But what that tells us is that before Abramovic arrived, Spurs were some way ahead of their London rivals. Until June 2003, they had collected 4,021 points, compared to Chelsea's 3,768.
Obviously, there are other factors to this. Before Roman Abramovic's arrival, Chelsea average a higher attendance; subsequent stadium expansions and moves have helped Spurs exceed that.
But, given that Tottenham had won more elite titles, more trophies in total, and more points before Abramovic arrived, perhaps O'Hara has a point after all.
wezikmortu
1
wow
Vaecimprst
0
sorry O'HARA,but whichever way you wish to say it, Chelsea is 100 time greater than thoteham
π
Vaecimprst
0
A trophy cabinet with less than 5 trophies, 60 seconds is too much. Maybe 10 seconds
forlifecardinal
0
if clubs were making money from trophies tour...Spurs would be on of the poorest clubs..:)
forlifecardinal
0
I see no reason you're dragging Roman's name into this... everything happened for reason...those period you're talking about, Spurs had more trophies and points than Chelsea...who at that time was sponsoring them..? remember they had their backbone, fortunately Chelsea got theirs... the recent season you won European trophy...Chelsea walked away with two... so you know, if you win two, Chelsea will win four... Spurs and Chelsea are not peers...Chelsea is bigger than you...now as it stands...the entire universe, Chelsea is the champ, that alone make Chelsea bigger than Spurs...
zumknprstz
2
how many seconds you f*** your teammates wife? π€ 60sec?
haoacenpty
2
If it is 60 sec... How many times you fuck your teammates wife behind him.. Hmmm.... Hmm.. Many times but surely it's not 60 sec... π€£ π€£ π€£
Diaabltyz
1
They're not called chelski for nothing.
jezabeknsz
0
Chelski is more hated than any teams.
nope. spud are more hated. I'm a gooner. take that spud lol
Diaabltyz
0
lol. spud. now we know why the whole club around London hated them. deluded spud
Chelski is the most hated team, not just London but whole of Britain.
Diaabltyz
0
lol. spud. now we know why the whole club around London hated them. deluded spud
Chelski is more hated than any teams.
Diaabltyz
2
You were RESTRICTED to 60 secs so that all the women folks don't have to stay away for too long.
dutikopry
0
this one loud π π€£ π π
Oluboss999
2
sorry O'HARA,but whichever way you wish to say it, Chelsea is 100 time greater than thoteham
saaablmoyz
0
Terry if you retired from football, it' better for your mouth to retire from talking what doesn't concern you.
olodo
Sovoty
1
The guy making a point abt Tottenham wasn't wrong after all. Of course people that started watching football in the Abramovic's era wouldn't understand. The truth remains Tottenham were bigget than Chelsea, and when you put the trophies together, Tottenham remains bigger or SLIGHTLY smaller than Chelsea.
saaablmoyz
0
Brutal π€£π€£ even though my beloved team has not won the CL as yet our trophy cabinet is more beautiful
Arsenal fans haha set awon failure
Gunnerneko
0
Yes, like the Emirates Cup π₯€
I know you have a phone or if you don't Barrow your sister's own then Google Arsenal trophies if you can read then you'll understand but if you can't i cannot help you because that's what am getting from u you're not that educated
Wusadiklot
1
that's the same reason why I always told chelsea supporters mind the 1hole they all digging for man city....instead of digging 1they must always digs 2....because just like how chelsea wasn't nothing before ibrahomovic oil money it's the same thing /argument they used against city... so city Abu Dhabi and chelsea Russian oil monies or rocking the same boat
But Chelsea won more in terms of trophies and he may have won more if not the bias of the UK government. U canβt compare Abrahimovic Chelsea ownership in that short term
Hipbeostz
0
Brutal π€£π€£ even though my beloved team has not won the CL as yet our trophy cabinet is more beautiful
Yes, like the Emirates Cup π₯€
GaddafiJamal
0
Brutal π€£π€£ even though my beloved team has not won the CL as yet our trophy cabinet is more beautiful
Lies, Lies, Lies & More Lies π€£π€£π€£π€£
Netacmstuz
5
because of your trophy less nature players like Harry Kane, Kyle Walker them all left. what he is talking about in terms of success
Netacmstuz
4
JT don't mind that noise maker
michaelkhongsai
2
π π€£ π π π π€£ π o captain my captain
Yorokiri
5
When you hear a man/woman dwelling on the past, just know the present is not presentable. I used to have it, is not a property...
Yambeiknrz
1
π π π The note i took here today is that Tottenham fans are still living in past glories π€£π€£ππ
Litelntz
2
that's the same reason why I always told chelsea supporters mind the 1hole they all digging for man city....instead of digging 1they must always digs 2....because just like how chelsea wasn't nothing before ibrahomovic oil money it's the same thing /argument they used against city... so city Abu Dhabi and chelsea Russian oil monies or rocking the same boat
pieackopty
0
Are you dumb or you are just senseless? How doesnβt not concern him? Have u forgotten that JT is our legend? You really dumb! OβHara that was talking about Chelsea, is he still playing?
forget of him,he started watching football 2025
Barongagz02
1
Terry if you retired from football, it' better for your mouth to retire from talking what doesn't concern you.
Are you dumb or you are just senseless? How doesnβt not concern him? Have u forgotten that JT is our legend? You really dumb! OβHara that was talking about Chelsea, is he still playing?
Gunnerneko
1
Brutal π€£π€£ even though my beloved team has not won the CL as yet our trophy cabinet is more beautiful
yutacilrst
1
ππππππ ππ€£
cieackoyz
2
Terry if you retired from football, it' better for your mouth to retire from talking what doesn't concern you.
Emmaxpro
0
All of that are baseless stories whoever is better is better and bigger at all times.The time frame and events debates are actually meaningless
jezabeknsz
2
lol. spud. now we know why the whole club around London hated them. deluded spud
fupceiluyz
2
Jamie "Caragher" O'HARA, shut up!