Soccer in mourning: Ken Bates, the man who saved Chelsea, has died

The soccer world is mourning the passing of Ken Bates, the savior of Chelsea. The businessman purchased the club in 1982 for the symbolic sum of 1 pound, taking on approximately 1.5 million pounds in debt, and then set about rebuilding the club.

During Bates’s tenure at Chelsea, the Blues earned promotion to the Premier League and won the FA Cup twice, as well as the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, the League Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Community Shield. He was an unforgettable figure within the Chelsea community and beyond.

“Bates, the third-longest-serving chairman in Chelsea’s history, held this position for 22 of the most significant years in our history,” wrote the London club. “Eclectic, outspoken, and controversial are the adjectives often used to describe him: his style, his opinions, and his actions divided public opinion, including that of Chelsea fans, but at the top of the list of his greatest achievements is ensuring that Stamford Bridge remained Chelsea’s home.”

Among Ken Bates’s best signings were Pat Nevin, Ruud Gullit, Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Di Matteo, and Frank Lampard. In the summer of 2003, Ken Bates decided to sell his shares in the club to Roman Abramovich, who subsequently acquired 100% ownership of Chelsea. Bates remained chairman for another eight months before buying Leeds and running it for a few years.