John Terry, the Chelsea defender, is in favour of a rule change which would allow only team captains to speak to officials over contentious decisions on the pitch.

His remarks come just days after his club and international team-mate Ashley Cole issued an apology for his bad tackle on Alan Hutton, the Tottenham Hotspur defender and for then turning his back on Mike Riley, the referee, as he was being lectured and shown the yellow card.

Chelsea have been one of the clubs most often in trouble with the Football Association in recent seasons over their players surrounding the referee to protest contentious decisions, but Terry now says it is time to end such confrontations.

“I do agree there has to be a line drawn and confronting the referee has to be taken out of the game,” he said. “I think we have to give it a go and if it doesn’t work then the FA and the officials have to say that. But we have to try these things.”

Terry was criticised in many quarters for running over to Riley when he saw the Tottenham staff react angrily to Cole’s challenge on Wednesday night, but he played down suggestions he was trying to influence the official.

“I saw their bench jump up and I ran forward to tell Mike Riley not to listen or be intimidated by their bench trying to force him into a decision,” he added. “I spoke to him and he told me ‘It was a high tackle and it was going to be a booking’, I agreed and walked away.

“There was no argument from me or anyone else close to Mike Riley and I thought he handled it fantastically well. Us players have got to set an example to the younger kids playing the game and people watching.

“But it is a natural reaction when a tackle is made. The fans show their frustration and whistle at the referee and the players have that same reaction because we are all so passionate about the game.

“It is a case of Chelsea appealing for what they feel is right at the time on the pitch. The club have spoken to the players and the manager about it but at the moment we don’t see we are doing it any more than any other club.”