Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has insisted that he will not be forced to close his Twitter account.
The 33-year-old, who is an active member of the social networking site, has claimed that the ability to contact supporters makes tweeting worthwhile.
"I would love to have been able to be close to people like John Barnes, Gazza and Paul Ince when I was a kid. I would love to have just got their autographs, let alone be able to speak to them publicly," he told reporters.
"Twitter is something that lets fans get a bit closer to you, letting them see you do everyday things. A lot of fans presume that you're at the opening of a bar, nightclub or a premiere every other night.
"They don't realise you've got a normal life in most ways, although obviously you're playing in front of thousands of people, with millions of people watching on a Saturday."
Ferdinand could face disciplinary action from the Football Association after comments made about Chelsea defender Ashley Cole.
