Former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates dies at 94

English Premier League club, Chelsea,on Saturday, announced the death of Ken Bates, the club’s former chairman.

According to the club, Bates passed away peacefully in Monaco surrounded by his family.

He was 94 years old at the time of his death.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the loss of Ken Bates, former owner and chairman of Chelsea Football Club.

“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.”

Bates famously bought the club for £1 in 1982, taking over its loans and served as its chairman for 22 years to become the club’s third longest-serving chairman.

He directed the club’s affairs between 1982 and 2004, navigating Chelsea from near-bankruptcy and relegation to Premier League heights.

He oversaw Chelsea’s most successful period of the 1990s as the club made high-profile player purchases including Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli, Ruud Gullit, Roberto Di Matteo, Marcel Desailly, Dan Petrescu, among others.

He sold majority of his stakes to Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003, and stayed for another eight months before resignation.

Under London-born Bates’ reign, Chelsea won the FA Cup (twice), League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and the Community Shield.

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