Ken Bates dead at 94: Tributes pour in for ex-Chelsea owner who famously bought London club for just £1

Former Chelsea chairman and owner Ken Bates has died at the age of 94.

Bates, who famously bought the west London football club for just £1 in 1982, passed away peacefully in Monaco on Saturday morning surrounded by his wife and family.

Chelsea announced the news in a statement, saying: ‘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 became the third-longest chairman in Chelsea’s history, holding the position for 22 years.

Former Chelsea chairman and owner Ken Bates has died at the age of 94

Bates famously bought Chelsea for just £1, and sold the club to Roman Abramovich in 2003

Bates took over at Leeds United in 2005 after their relegation to the Championship

He took the Blues towards the higher end of the Premier League before selling the club to Roman Abramovich in 2003 and then taking over at Leeds in 2005.

In a statement The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust paid tribute, saying:

‘The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Chelsea owner and chairman, Ken Bates.

‘Ken was one of the most significant figures in Chelsea Football Club’s modern history. Taking charge during one of the club’s most difficult periods, he played a defining role in securing the club’s future at Stamford Bridge and helping lay the foundations for the success that followed.

‘His impact on Chelsea will be remembered for generations, and his place in the club’s history is assured.

‘The thoughts of the CST board & all our members around the globe are with Ken’s family, friends and all those who knew him.

‘Thank You, Ken.’

Bates, pictured with wife Suzannah, is remembered as one of English football’s most controversial characters

Bates is remembered as one of English football’s most controversial characters during his 48 years in the game.

Born in London on December 4, 1931, Bates was brought up by his grandparents on a council estate in Ealing. His mother died when he was still a baby and his father absconded.

He had initial success helping to run a quarry business in Manchester and began to build an impenetrable business portfolio, making big profits out of ready-mixed cement and dairy farming.

He invested in Australia’s sugar cane industry and in property development in South Africa and, it was reported, bought his first Bentley aged 23.

Bates made millions from a failed building project in the British Virgin Islands in the early 1970s and also founded a bank, the Irish Trust Bank, which later had its licence revoked after lengthy investigations by Ireland’s financial authorities.

He had been chairman of Oldham for five years in the 1960s and then co-owner of Wigan before famously buying Chelsea for £1 in 1982.

During 21 years as Chelsea chairman he transformed them from second-tier also-rans in a ramshackle stadium into a top-flight force, rebuilt Stamford Bridge and established the Chelsea Village complex before selling to Roman Abramovich in 2003.

His formation of the Chelsea Pitch Owners was instrumental in safeguarding the ground’s future.

He built an electric perimeter fence around the Stamford Bridge pitch, but was refused permission to turn on the electricity by the local council.

Bates and former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri on pre-season tour in Malaysia in 2003

Bates lifts the FA Cup trophy with Gianluca Vialli after victory over Aston Villa in 2000

Bates helped bring glamour to Stamford Bridge in the 1990s with the arrival of Ruud Gullit

Less than 9,000 turned up for his first game as chairman at Stamford Bridge, but in his last, in 2003, a full house saw Chelsea secure a place in the Champions League.

Bates was involved in a bitter fall-out with major Chelsea investor Matthew Harding and was widely censured for remarks made about him after he had been killed in a helicopter crash in 1996.

He also spent five years on the Football League management committee from 1986 and was an active member of the Football Association executive in the 1990s.

Bates had a less successful eight-year reign as owner of Leeds, where he failed to replicate the success he had enjoyed at Chelsea.

His stormy reign at Leeds was notable for more covert dealings, offshore companies and court cases.

He lost a damages claim for harassment brought against him by former director Melvyn Levi and his wife, put the club in administration before buying them back and presided over relegation to the third tier for the only time in their history. He also waged war with protesting fans.

He finally sold Leeds to Middle East-based investment bank Gulf Finance House in 2013 for £22million and retired to his tax-haven home in Monaco.