Ken Bates, the former owner of Chelsea and Leeds United, has died aged 94. Chelsea announced that Bates passed away peacefully in Monaco surrounded by family.
Bates purchased Chelsea for £1 in 1982 when the club was in the Second Division and served as chairman for 22 years. During his tenure, Chelsea won the FA Cup twice, the League Cup, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. He sold the club to Roman Abramovich for £140m in 2003 and departed the following year.
Bates later bought a 50% stake in Leeds United in 2005, overseeing the club through administration in 2007 before selling to GFH Capital in November 2012. He also had a three-year spell as owner of Partick Thistle in the mid-1980s and served in an executive role at the Football Association until 2001.