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 with clubs such as Dagenham & Redbridge, Yeovil Town and Leyton Orient, and now serves as an assistant coach to Richie Wellens at Orient. On his mother’s side, Frankie is the nephew of former England left‑back Paul Konchesky, who earned two caps for the national side and 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 and England defender who made over 700 appearances for the Blues and collected 78 caps for the Three Lions.
With such a pedigree, it would have been easy for Frankie to simply ride the coattails of his relatives. Instead, he chose the more demanding route of earning his place through hard work. At the age of 15 he left Leyton Orient’s academy to join Colchester United, 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," Frankie told Sky Sports.
"Watching them every week, seeing how they lived, the lifestyle they get and the way they helped my family is something that really pushes me every day." He recalls the influence of his two uncles – one a left‑back, the other a centre‑half – both of whom represented England at senior level and enjoyed long Premier League careers. "There’s no two better people to look up to. I’d go pretty much every week to either Chelsea or wherever Paul was," he said. The memory that stands out most, he explained, is John Terry’s final match at Stamford Bridge after the club clinched the league title.
"That was 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 admits he still turns to 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 adds that if he could achieve even half of what his father and uncles have, he would consider himself a success. "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 hybrid of his two defensive role models. He is left‑footed and feels equally at home playing 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 has never been a free pass for Frankie. He began featuring for Colchester’s under‑21 side at just 16, and his first senior loan came shortly after he turned 17 when he joined Isthmian North club Maldon & Tiptree under former United player‑manager Wayne Brown.
The experience taught him the physicality of senior football and the importance of adapting quickly. A second loan move saw him step up to the National League South with Chelmsford City for the 2022/23 season, where he earned 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," Frankie reflected.
The following season he briefly returned to Chelmsford before a stint with Aveley, and then made the leap to the National League with Braintree Town in the first half of 2024/25. A subsequent move to Yeovil – his father’s former club – mirrored Paul Terry’s own career path. After signing a new two‑year contract with Colchester, Frankie spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan back at Braintree, making 26 appearances across all competitions and netting two goals before being recalled in early December.
Back at Colchester, he had to be patient for his chance. In the first 15 Sky Bet League Two fixtures after his return, manager Danny Cowley only selected him four times. However, from 4 April to the season’s final match on 2 May, Frankie played every minute, contributing to four victories in seven games and helping the team keep two clean sheets. "It was an opportunity I was waiting for for a long time," he said.
"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." Having tasted League Two football, Frankie feels no excuse for any lack of experience. "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," he explained. Looking ahead, his goals are clear.
"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, like many young players, is 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 personal responsibility required to succeed. "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 will always spark conversation, but Frankie wants his performances to do the talking.
He continues to work hard, develop his defensive instincts, and aim for the highest levels of the game, confident that his family’s legacy provides guidance but not guarantees. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k!
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