Ken Bates, who has died at age 94, was one of the most colorful, controversial, and significant figures in modern football. He is best known for his ownership of Chelsea, which he bought for £1 in 1982 and sold to Roman Abramovich for £140 million in 2003. His football journey began as chairman of Oldham Athletic in the 1960s, later becoming owner and vice-chairman of Wigan Athletic before purchasing Chelsea. After selling Chelsea, he became principal owner of Leeds United in January 2005, another stormy reign that ended in July 2013.
Bates, a self-made millionaire from haulage and ready-mix concrete, was never shy of confrontation or explosive quotes. He served on the FA executive committee and was influential in rebuilding Wembley Stadium, chairing Wembley National Stadium Limited from 1997 until his resignation four years later.
At Chelsea, Bates took over a fallen giant facing bankruptcy, inheriting debts of £1.5 million. By the time he sold to Abramovich, Chelsea had won the FA Cup twice, the League Cup, the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998, and the UEFA Super Cup. He attracted stars like Gianfranco Zola, Ruud Gullit, Marcel Desailly, and Gianluca Vialli. His early signings of Pat Nevin, Kerry Dixon, and David Speedie helped restore the club's top-flight status.
Bates was never far from controversy. In the mid-1980s, he erected a 12-foot electric fence around Stamford Bridge to prevent pitch invasions, but the Greater London Council refused permission to switch it on. In 1991, Chelsea was fined £105,000 for alleged illegal payments, and Bates resigned from the Football League management committee. He considered securing Stamford Bridge's long-term future as one of his greatest achievements, battling property developers Marler Estates and creating the Chelsea Pitch Owners scheme to give fans ownership of the land.
In a bitter split, Bates sacked manager Ruud Gullit via Teletext in 1998, despite Gullit winning the FA Cup the previous season. Vialli replaced him and brought European success. Ranieri was Bates' final managerial appointment before the Abramovich sale, which Bates said would "take Chelsea to the next level"—a defining moment in Premier League history.
At Leeds United, Bates sought "one last challenge" but faced relegation and financial turmoil. The club went into voluntary administration in 2007, was relegated to the third tier, and suffered points deductions. Bates left Leeds in 2013 after a tumultuous tenure.