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Ken Bates was Chelsea chairman from 1982 to 2004 (Photo: Getty)
Ken Bates, the former owner of football clubs Chelsea and Leeds United, has died aged 94.
‘It is with great sadness that we share the news of the loss of Ken Bates, former owner and chairman of Chelsea Football Club,’ Chelsea announced in a statement on Saturday.
‘The club sends our heartfelt condolences to Ken’s wife Suzannah, the rest of his family and his friends.
‘Ken’s determination to fight for Chelsea when times were tough, and drive the team on to winning trophies will never be forgotten.’
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Bates bought Chelsea in 1983 for just £1, with the Blues a far cry from the football superpower it is today.
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Taking on debts of £1.5million, Bates turned the club’s fortunes around, achieving promotion back to the top-flight and ensuring that they remained at their Stamford Bridge home.
Under his stewardship, Chelsea became an established Premier League team and ended their 26-year wait for a trophy when Ruud Gullit’s side won the 1997 FA Cup.
More success followed with another FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, but by the end of Bates’ era the club were once again in huge debt.
He sold his shares to Roman Abramovich in 2003 for £140m before stepping down as chairman a year later, paving the way for the club’s most successful era.
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