England coach Stuart Pearce and former Toon striker Andy Cole took Terry's defence.
The 29-year-old has faced calls for his resignation as England captain following allegations that he had an affair with the ex-partner of former club-mate and fellow international Wayne Bridge.
Stuart Pearce: "Fabio will certainly be wanting to be a dominant voice.
"I couldn't see anyone else going above Fabio and making statements or decisions in respect to who captains the side above Fabio, I can't see that happening.
"I think the last decision should always be the manager's decision on whatever goes on.
"The one thing I would say is John Terry is a fantastic captain, in footballing terms on and off the pitch I think he is a selfless professional and his form is fantastic for his country.
"So I'm not a big lover of witch hunts of people which I'm afraid our country tends to follow a little bit these days.
"The bottom line is John, his family and everyone concerned in the matter - it's a matter for those people and not the likes of other people who haven't got a vested interest in what goes on."
Andy Cole: "I only partly accept the 'role model' argument that expects players to be models of virtue.
"Top footballers are easy targets to be held responsible for the ills of the world. But does anyone seriously suggest that knife crime, drug running and gang violence are down to football?
"No. So what meaningful message with a tangible effect does censuring an unfaithful player have in the real world? Fewer kids cheating on their wives 20 years down the line? Do me a favour.
"Obviously, JT can expect to suffer the consequences of his actions, and rightly so, but let's not kid anyone that dropping him will solve the world's ills.
"Equally, why impose one set of moral judgements on footballers, when it isn't the norm in any other workplace? In factories, shops, newspaper offices, wherever, most people's messy, complicated, error-strewn lives continue as normal in the wake of mistakes.
"It doesn't excuse it, but we have to keep everything in perspective. I want to stress, emphatically, that I don't condone any indiscretion by Terry – and he's had a few over the years.
"He's upset people, and it would appear nobody has been hurt in this latest episode more than his own wife, which I can only guess he is ashamed of. None of us revel in our mistakes and JT will have cursed himself for his own behaviour.
"Terry is rightly getting flak, and he's brought it on himself. But to argue that he should be stripped of the England captaincy, or the same role at Chelsea, or thrown out of the England camp altogether is too simplistic, and reactionary, and quite possibly pointless.
"The situation is far too complex to be handled with a PR gesture, even though that would placate the loudest critics."