Former Chelsea and Leeds United owner Ken Bates dies aged 94
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Published 11/07/2026 at 16:47 GMT+1
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Former Chelsea and Leeds United owner Ken Bates has died at the age of 94. The third-longest chair in the history of The Blues, holding the position for 22 years, Bates oversaw the club's return to the top flight.
Ken Bates has died at the age of 94
Image credit: Getty Images
Chelsea announced on Saturday that Bates had "passed away peacefully in Monaco this morning surrounded by his wife and family", bringing to a close a career in football ownership and administration that spanned almost five decades.
Bates bought Chelsea for £1 in 1982, inheriting a club in financial turmoil and languishing in the old Second Division with debts of around £1.5 million.
He fought to secure the future of Stamford Bridge and laid the foundations for the club's modern success before selling to Roman Abramovich for £140 million in 2003.
Although Chelsea remained heavily in debt when the sale was completed, Bates stayed on as chair until 2004. The Blues paid tribute in a statement.
"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."
During Bates' tenure, managers including John Neal, Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit, Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Ranieri helped transform Chelsea into one of England's leading clubs.
Chelsea ended a 26-year wait for major silverware by winning the FA Cup in 1997 before adding the League Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup and another FA Cup prior to Abramovich's arrival.
The Chelsea Supporters' Trust said: "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.
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Bates pictured with former Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore in 2017
Image credit: Getty Images
"His impact on Chelsea will be remembered for generations, and his place in the club's history is assured."
After leaving west London, Bates took control of Leeds United in 2005 with ambitions of engineering another revival.
Instead, his time at Elland Road coincided with one of the club's darkest periods as Leeds entered administration in 2007 and suffered relegation to the third tier for the first time.
Although he helped steer the club back to the Championship in 2010, promotion to the Premier League proved elusive before he sold his stake in 2012 and departed the following year.
Born in west London in 1931, Bates overcame a difficult childhood and built a fortune in business before entering football with spells at Oldham Athletic, Wigan Athletic and Partick Thistle.
He also served as chair of Wembley National Stadium Ltd between 1997 and 2001 during the early stages of the redevelopment that led to the new national stadium. He later settled in Monaco, returning to the UK only occasionally.
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