Mark Bosnich says a warning from Chelsea captain John Terry more than a decade ago could have prolonged his career. The former goalkeeper was at Chelsea when a 21-year-old Terry stood up in front of the squad and told him he was hanging with the wrong crowd.

Terry had known the same people earlier and warned Bosnich in “no uncertain terms”. But Bosnich felt “bullet proof” and told Terry he would make the call himself, the football commentator revealed in a column for News Corp.

“I should have listened to his advice back then,” he said. “If I had, I would never had got into the troubles that I did. The whole mess ended up curtailing my career.”

The former Manchester United and Aston Villa player was sacked by Chelsea after failing a drug test in 2002. It was later revealed he had a cocaine problem, which caused a five-year absence from football.

Terry was in Sydney at the weekend ahead of Chelsea’s match against Sydney FC on Tuesday night. Bosnich caught up with him at his hotel and says the Blues skipper still possessed the same qualities from almost 13 years ago.

“John’s actions showed amazing foresight and leadership at such a young age, and is the reason so many managers such as Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Fabio Capello and others, have always made him captain,” he said.

“The bottom line is that as a person, he will always be the smiling kid I remember at a young age who spoke up when no-one else did – and was right.”

Bosnich had trouble finding an English team upon his return to football in 2007 and was made bankrupt in a London high court the year later. He got a brief gig with the Central Coast Mariners in 2008 before suffering a career-ending injury the same year.