Хөлбөмбөгийн ертөнцийн нөлөө бүхий зүтгэлтэн, Челси болон Лидс Юнайтедыг удирдаж явсан Кен Бэйтс Монакод гэр бүлийнхнийхээ дэргэд таалал төгссөн тухай Челси бямба гарагт албан ёсоор мэдэгдлээ.
Кен Бэйтс 1982 онд Челсиг ердөө 1 фунт стерлингээр худалдан авч, 1.5 сая фунтийн өрийг барагдуулснаар клубийн түүхэнд чухал эргэлт хийсэн юм. Түүний удирдлага дор Челси 1984 онд дээд лигтээ эргэн ирж, 1997 оны ФА цомын тэмцээнд түрүүлснээр 26 жилийн дараах анхны томоохон цомоо хүртэж байв. Тэрээр 2003 онд клубийн хувьцаагаа Роман Абрамовичид 140 сая фунтээр худалдаж, 2004 онд ерөнхийлөгчийн албан тушаалаа хүлээлгэн өгсөн юм.
Үүний дараа 2005 онд Лидс Юнайтедыг худалдан авч, 2012 оны 12 дугаар сар хүртэл удирдсан билээ. Түүний удирдлага дор Лидс 2007 онд дампуурлын ирмэгт хүрч гуравдугаар лиг рүү унасан ч 2010 онд хоёрдугаар лигтээ эргэн ирж чадсан юм.
Челсигийн дэмжигчдийн холбооноос түүнийг клубийн орчин үеийн түүхэн дэх хамгийн чухал хүмүүсийн нэг хэмээн онцолжээ. Бэйтс хүнд хэцүү үед клубийн ирээдүйг хамгаалж, Стэмфорд Бриж цэнгэлдэх хүрээлэнг хадгалан үлдэхэд шийдвэрлэх үүрэг гүйцэтгэсэн гэдгийг тус холбоо дурссан байна.
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Former Chelsea and Leeds United owner Ken Bates has died at the age of 94.
Bates’ death was announced by Chelsea in a statement on Saturday. The club said he passed away peacefully in Monaco surrounded by his wife and family.
It read: “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 purchased Chelsea for £1 in 1982, taking on £1.5m in debts to buy the club before transforming the Blues’ fortunes.
Chelsea won promotion back to the top flight in 1984. They were relegated in 1988 but secured an immediate return to the old First Division a year later.
After losing the FA Cup final in 1994, Chelsea went on to enjoy consistent success with Bates at the helm, with their victory in the 1997 FA Cup final ending a 26-year wait for a major trophy.
They would win the FA Cup again during Bates’ tenure in 2000, while they also lifted the League Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield in his time in charge.
Bates sold his shares in Chelsea to Roman Abramovich in 2003 in a £140m deal with the club heavily in debt. He then stepped down as chairman in 2004.
Having failed in a bid to take over Sheffield Wednesday, Bates became owner of Leeds in 2005 and was in charge at Elland Road until December 2012.
During that time, Leeds lost the 2006 Championship play-off final before entering administration a year later and dropping to the third tier for the first time in the club’s history.
Bates formed part of the consortium that purchased Leeds from the administrations, with the club securing a return to the second tier in 2010. He subsequently sold Leeds in 2012, though he remained as chairman and then honorary president until 2013.
A statement from the Chelsea Supporters Trust read: “Ken was one of the most significant figures inChelseaFootball 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 onChelseawill be remembered for generations, and his place in the club’s history is assured.”
