Good old ken Bates

[Kieran. 6,317]

That's a nice story -- good to hear you survived that traumatic experience.

I still have nothing but contempt for Ken Bates.

[chelsea blue 615]

The only thing Bates loved was money and himself

[Phil Driver 503]

Batesy saved this club when everybody else had given up ,that season when he took over we were desperate and he had the vision and leadership to save us (yes it was that bad) and we (the fans) were out of control and he had to do something to allow us to move forward and he did,he also took on our enemies in football of which there were many and also in the press,Marler Estates would have turned the ground into housing if it were not for Ken Bates .

Ken Bates saved Chelsea football club he built us up from nothing and then made sure we were only sold to safe hands in the best interest of Chelsea ,I thank Ken for his contribution to Chelsea it was life saving.

[Leif 6,006]

As a person he was and is quite a bit of a dickhead especially regarding the Matthew Harding incident.

As a businessman, he's cunning, ruthless, and without him we wouldn't be here today.

It's hard to form a proper opinion on him IMO.

[robdog 2,084]

I have a friend that recently met Mr Bates at one of the Chelsea Hotels. Mr Bates still has a penthouse in the Chelsea Village. I agree with what Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink put in his autobiography, "The CFC should build a statute for Ken Bates."

[manpe 10,861]

Disgusting Millwall pricks.

[Changingman_2000 876]

As a person he was and is quite a bit of a dickhead especially regarding the Matthew Harding incident.

As a businessman, he's cunning, ruthless, and without him we wouldn't be here today.

It's hard to form a proper opinion on him IMO.

Completely agree with that. In 89' we were travelling from Euston up to Shrewsbury (yes, Shrewsbury) for our final away game of our 2nd Divison championship season, when, none other than Chairmen Ken strides into our carriage, sits on the table and acts like one of the boys. Fair to say we were a bit bemused by it all. One or two welcomed him, a few gave him grief about the electric fence effort four years previous, and the rest just carried on playing cards, etc. He really spread it thick about how he was saving the club (which, to be fair, he did). But he certainly had plenty of front, I'll give him that. Generally, he tried to come across as "one of the lads" - which of course he wasn't.

But, fact is, he royally horsed Cabra and Marler Estates and saved the club - he also nearly fucking ruined it just a few years later but done the right (and only) thing by selling up to Roman.

Very diversive character, and will remain like that to his last day.

[Changingman_2000 876]

When I met the late great Peter Osgood he had nothing but contempt for Bates, absolutely despised him. - he'd sacked Osgood as a meet and greet persona at the Bridge, (even though he was only on couple of hundred pounds a week) and had totally ignored Alan Hudson after he was hit by a car

Hudson and Speedo absolutely hate Bates with a passion.

[Changingman_2000 876]

He was mainly all front. With his fucking programme page et all, the bloke has more rabbit than Watership Down

[cfchoward 7]

I remember ken bates on the pitch at half time against leeds 1984 promotion game with a megaphone telling all us chelsea fans in the benches he didn't want us on the pitch now but wanted us all on the pitch at the end seems like yesterday.

[Green Lantern18 54]

In contrast to some of the negative stories told about Ken Bates in this thread. I can say that he was nice enough to sign one of my cousins replica Chelsea shirts a few years ago. This was around the time that both of my cousins were working at the club.

[Spike 12,049]

Put electric fences around Stamford.

[Changingman_2000 876]

I remember ken bates on the pitch at half time against leeds 1984 promotion game with a megaphone telling all us chelsea fans in the benches he didn't want us on the pitch now but wanted us all on the pitch at the end seems like yesterday.

There was also an away game, can't recall against who, maybe Pompey, Derby or Brighton, when, during an outbreak of "unrest" he came on, was handed a megaphone by the old bill, with which he bellowed "If you lot don't calm down, I'm going to sell Kerry Dixon to Arsenal". Desired effect was accomplished.

[Strike 7,489]

Came across as one of those smart villains in a 80's or 90's Hollywood movie. White attire and everything

[Fulham Broadway 17,314]

Sacked by Leeds now

He is a multi-millionaire tax avoider living in Monaco.

Bates said he had been sacked by GFH from his role as club president. He said this was after he committed Leeds United, for the next three years, to paying for a private jet to fly him from Monaco to Leeds whenever he needed. The cost to the club of the contract with the corporate aeroplane charter company was thought to be about £500,000 over the three years.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Sacked by Leeds now

He is a multi-millionaire tax avoider living in Monaco.

Bates said he had been sacked by GFH from his role as club president. He said this was after he committed Leeds United, for the next three years, to paying for a private jet to fly him from Monaco to Leeds whenever he needed. The cost to the club of the contract with the corporate aeroplane charter company was thought to be about £500,000 over the three years.

If its a signed contract they still gotta pay regardless of sacking Bates

Oh well he could probably do with a few years off, he must be close to the end now

[Duppy Conqueror 1,536]

If I was employed by stinky Leeds I'd take the piss too.horrible inbred mutants that they are.

[Phil Driver 503]

Remember this - Without Ken Bates there would be no Chelsea at Stamford Bridge,no cups and no leagues,no Abramovich and no taking the piss out of Arsenal and Spurs.

Batesy was in the top ten most important people ever to serve Chelsea Football Club and that includes players,he did what needed to be done for Chelsea to be where we are today.