Frankie Terry has grown up surrounded by football royalty, yet he is determined to forge his own identity on the pitch. His father, Paul Terry, spent his playing days at clubs such as Dagenham & Redbridge, Yeovil and Leyton Orient, and now serves as an assistant coach to Richie Wellens at the latter. On his mother’s side, Frankie is the nephew of former England international Paul Konchesky, who amassed 347 Premier League appearances for teams including Charlton, West Ham, Tottenham, Fulham, Liverpool and Leicester. The other side of the family boasts John Terry, the iconic former Chelsea captain who also led England, racking up more than 700 games for the Blues and 78 caps for the Three Lions.
With such a pedigree it would have been easy for Frankie to simply follow the well‑trodden route of his relatives, and that is exactly what he did. At the age of 15 he left Leyton Orient to join Colchester United’s academy, and now, at 22, he is a regular feature in the first‑team squad in north‑Essex. "From my point of view, they are just my uncles and my dad, but they were a big part of why I wanted to play football," he told Sky Sports. He added that watching his family members week after week, seeing the lifestyle they enjoyed and the way they supported his own family, gave him a daily boost of motivation.
"One uncle was a left‑back and the other was a centre‑half and they were both England internationals and Premier League players. There’s no two better people to look up to. I’d go pretty much every week to either Chelsea or wherever Paul was," Frankie recalled.
He remembered the emotional atmosphere of John Terry’s final game at Stamford Bridge after the club clinched the league title, describing it as "a very proud and emotional day for the family and for him. It was a lovely send‑off, but coming to the end of his Chelsea career was big." Even now, Frankie says he still leans on his relatives for advice. "Even now I still ask them a lot of questions and learn a lot from them.
They have lived every part of football and they know what I’m going through, so anything I need, anything I’m going through, they are one phone call or text away. They are always going to have the right advice because they’ve lived it." He admits that if he could enjoy even half the success of his famous relatives, he would consider himself incredibly lucky.
"If I could have half the career of both of them, I’d be buzzing because they went on to achieve great things and are people I really look up to." On the field, Frankie appears to be a blend of his two footballing role models. He is left‑footed and feels equally comfortable operating as a left‑back or as a centre‑half. "I love heading the ball, I love tackling, I love clearing the ball. But I also enjoy the other half and playing out, like the modern‑day centre‑half," he explained.
"I’m a player that likes to do both, but I really enjoy defending. I think it’s an art and a really good skill." The weight of the Terry name was something Frankie felt "quite a bit" as a youngster, but he is quick to point out that nothing has been handed to him on a silver platter. He made his debut in Colchester’s under‑21 side at 16, and shortly after turning 17 he embarked on his first loan spell with Isthmian North club Maldon & Tiptree, working under former United States international and manager Wayne Brown. The following season saw him step up to the National League South with Chelmsford City, where his performances earned him the Supporters’ Young Player of the Year award.
"The first loan was getting used to it, but the second loan was about being an established men’s player, not being looked at as an U18 or U21 player anymore. Being at Chelmsford really helped me do that," he said. 2023/24 brought further moves: after a brief return to Chelmsford, Frankie joined Aveley before making the leap to the National League with Braintree Town in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.
He then followed in his father’s footsteps by signing for Yeovil, before returning to Braintree on a season‑long loan after signing a new two‑year contract with Colchester. During that spell he featured in 26 matches across all competitions and scored twice before being recalled in early December. Back at Colchester, Frankie had to bide his time. In the first 15 games of the Sky Bet League Two season, manager Danny Cowley only selected him four times.
However, from 4 April to the final match on 2 May, Frankie played every minute, helping the team secure four wins in seven games and keeping two clean sheets. "It was an opportunity I was waiting for for a long time," he reflected. "I’m grateful to Danny and Nicky [Cowley] for trusting me and allowing me to get that run of games.
They are very honest, very genuine people who want what’s best for you. Going into this season, it’s something I really needed." He also noted that the gap between the National League and League Two is often overstated. "The difference in levels between the National League and League Two isn’t as big as people think. You have the teams that have come down from League One or are about to go up to League One and there’s a difference there, but the standard is very similar and the quality of players in both leagues is very similar.
But now I know the standard of League Two, there’s no excuse when I do play to say I haven’t played much. I played 15 games last season in League Two and it was massive for me to get that taste." Looking ahead, Frankie has set clear targets.
"I want at least double the amount of League Two games I got last season. I want to establish myself as a regular starter and really kick on with my career. I’m 22 now and there’s no better time for me to do that." His ultimate ambition, however, remains the same dream that drives every young footballer: to reach the Premier League. "The dream is to play in the Premier League.
It is every kid’s dream nowadays. If I could follow in my uncles’ footsteps, that would be unbelievable for me and my family," he said. Frankie is also realistic about the role his family can play. "As I’ve grown up and established myself, I’ve come to terms with the fact I’ve actually got here by myself and I am my own player.
As much as they can tell me the right things to do, I’m the one that’s actually got to step onto the football pitch and perform every week." The Terry surname may open doors and spark conversations, but Frankie Terry is determined that his performances on the field will do the talking from now on.