Blast from the past

[alan'82]

While up in the attic the other day with the misses,dirty, dusty and covered in cobwebs,(but she's good with the kids),i found a copy of our old chairman Ken Bates book 'my year'.

The book was supposed to be semi-autobiographyical about Chelsea in the 83-84 season,but as it turned out the story was eclipsed by our superb promotion and the debuts of

a number of top young players like Kerry Dixon,Pat Nevin and John Hollins!.A few questions i would like to answer;

1.Did anybody else buy/read this book? or was i the only sucker.

2.If the answer to the above is yes,what did you think of it?.

3.After flicking through it again,ken seamed to be mashed at the end of every chapter,is he more pickled than your average onion?.

4.If i sent it to him to sign, do you think the old blaster would charge for the privilege?

And best avoid putting loft insulation on your head to do a bruce forsyeth impression,plays havoc with yer scalp.

 

[secbastia]

4 yes without a doubt, he saved Chelsea and he took on at the time a massive task, but always had Chelsea at heart, after the Grimbsby game he was very emotional.

 

[bar24rat]

Did you read Blaster's comment on Wenger in his programme notes for the Leeds/Arsenal replay?

Wenger needs a visit to Specsavers , whereas the winger, whatever his name, has at last realised that diving is part of swimming.

Nothing changes when Blaster has you in his sights.

 

[Chelseaboy]

Always liked ol birdseye, he took on chelsea and all its debts when no one else wanted to and then took on the property developers too and saved our home Stamford Bridge from becomming a posh housing development. Mind you he did well out of us in the end taking a large salary and making millions when he sold the club (we always paid top dollar admission even when QPR and Wimbledon were way above us in the table!) but he always sought progression for the team, and even got us to the champions league before selling us to the russian, who he rightly promised had the finances to take us to the next level. I remember when Harding came on the scene, trying to muscle in just as things started getting better, some fans especially the independant lot were in his corner, but there was one game (cant remember which) when there was ment to be a protest against Bates, but this just never materialised, the vast majority of fans had long memories and knew what Bates had done for the club. There was no protest - not a squeak and rightly so. Id shake his hand today, even if he is now doing a similar revival job with our old foes Dirty Leeds.

 

[Backbiter]

I read the book back then. It was a great read, and I seem to remember it ending just as we're about to get ready for our first season back in the top flight, with Ken hardly able to contain his excitement that we are about to sign.....

Doug Rougvie.

 

[ws6blue]

PROPER OLD CHARACTER our Ken

met him few times in the 90's - he used to host a table in the old exec club in east stand middle - he would lord it sitting at the head of the table - but always friendly to anyone and everyone - the lift was quite small but Ken could still manage an argument............... with himself if left alone!. He would discuss anything and argue blue is green if it suited him

they broke the mould and if he comes back anytime to the Bridge he should get great welcome cos under his tenure he managed to hit 4 of the big 5

1. rescued us from bankruptcy

2. saved the ground from redevelopment (as posh housing)

3. brought in Hoddle, gullit, Viali and ranieri, and won the fa cup AT LAST

4. and found a rich owner to buy the debt - BRILLIANT

Number 5 was the PL.....................but without him we wouldn't exist so he gets half a point for that too

TOP MAN THE BLASTER

Doug Rougvie.

 

[shedhead]

I recognise he did a lot for the club but he only did it for the money. He bought the club and it's debts knowing that he would never lose the money as the land itself was a prime asset.

I couldn't stand him.

Treated fans like crap.

Loud mouth money grabber.

 

[BlueBeard]

I recognise he did a lot for the club but he only did it for the money. He bought the club and it's debts knowing that he would never lose the money as the land itself was a prime asset.

I couldn't stand him.

Treated fans like crap.

Loud mouth money grabber.

Must say, I tend to agree with that - and don't forget the way he treated Matthew Harding and his family

 

[mad_mac]

Certainly someone that will divide opinions. I remember reading that he took Hardings Family's season tickets away after Matty died!

But I remember him being on Chelsea TV and some bloke called in and started crying saying "thank you for saving my club!"

 

[shedhead]

and I bet that Bates thought "great another bloke I can take money off no matter what". Am I too cynical about him?

 

[Chelseaboy]

and I bet that Bates thought "great another bloke I can take money off no matter what". Am I too cynical about him?

Dont want to come across as his boyfriend but Bates was first and foremost a business man. The early 80s was not an ideal time to invest in football, the economy was ruined and there was not alot of cash about, obviously no major sponsorship and TV deals. Plus half of our hardcore fans were hooligans!. Chelsea was on its arse under Mears who couldnt manage a piss up in the proverbial, and Bates come in rescued us from administration and financially had to put the house in order. So when he first come in, prices did go up, which seemed mad at the time but after a couple of seasons the investment in the team began. Dixon, Nevin,Eddie Ned etc. 83/84 the rebirth of the blues. A legendary season for those who lived it.

He wanted to reward loyal fans though. We only had about 3000 ST holders and ST prices offered a good saving on pay at the gate. He also ran 3 free coaches to Man City away at the end of the season, for fans who had travelled regularly on the official Chelsea train, followed by a "meal" at some hotel in Manchester. Ended up in a bit of a tear up though as some Man City paid a visit!

Bates eventually made good money from selling the club, but it took alot of building. including the fight with Marler estates for the ground who wanted to build on it. Judas Mears wanted to sell his shares to them, but Bates fought to stop planning permission and eventually set up CPO that gave fans shares in the pitch to stop developers. (whether they are actually relevant now, lord knows)

Listen he was a cantankerous old bugger, but he fought his corner and legally knew his stuff. Hes currently turning Leeds (spit) around using similar methods and he`s now 80 years old!

For that Ken, please leave me the penthouse overlooking the pitch in your will

 

[alan'82]

I have to admit i actualy admire the old duffer and can't honestly see no reason why a stand shouldn't be named after him.Whats been forgotten about the early 1980's,is Chelsea was not the most popular place to be by a long way,and like our much maligned supporters at that time,you really had to love the club to want to be there,(certaintly wasn't for colin lee).

 

[Bovis Messroom]

Yeah, I bought it at the time and still have my copy. I found it a very interesting read and Batesy typically didn't hold back on his dealings with the press. Think he had some harsh words for Alan Hudson in there too. Some great pictures and still haven't spotted myself in the crowd on the cover. I have mixed feelings about him. Sure he fought a brilliant battle with the property developers, stood up for the fans against the press and rightly opposed Lutons ban on away support. However he had a very cold attitude to the fanzines or the idea of any independent supporter representation, the fallout with Matthew Harding was unpleasant and the Chelsea Village scheme ultimately was a millstone rather than a benefit of the club. Yep, send it to him for signing but make sure you enclose the return postage. He's an adopted Yorkshireman now afterall.

 

[shedhead]

I would mention that, when Chelsea was under attack by Mahler Estates who wanted to develop our ground, Ken Bates was, I believe, a director and shareholder of Mahler Estates. I am sure he had an influence on the outcome and at the same time made sure he looked good.

 

[Teabar]

Respect to the man, some people forget the state of the club he took over.

On a personal note he paid for mine and several other defence after the indiscriminate arrests at Sunderland Away League Cup semi.

And of course that never to be forgotton white fur coat in the snow at Shrewsbury, gave as good as he got that day.

 

[shedhead]

Respect to the man, some people forget the state of the club he took over.

On a personal note he paid for mine and several other defence after the indiscriminate arrests at Sunderland Away League Cup semi.

And of course that never to be forgotton white fur coat in the snow at Shrewsbury, gave as good as he got that day.

yes the club was in a state but he had a foot in both camps. He couldn't lose. I will admit that once he got the club he fought like a trojan to keep it going.