Hi everyone,

just wanted to pass on the sad news that my dad Len Kell passed away yesterday after a very long battle with Alzheimer’s, he was 91 years old.

Although not playing many games for the first team before moving on, he always spoke very fondly of his 6+ years he was at the club , after being brought down from Teeside, as a 17 year old boy.
 

His big mate was another lad from that area called Bob Smith, who went  onto great things. They lived in digs opposite the ground in Britannia Rd  but both fell out with the then manager Ted Drake and got pushed out. 
 

It was fellow Chelsea players Frank Blunstone and Ron Greenwood who encouraged dad to get his coaching badges, which he did, at the same time as Jack Charlton, Bob Paisley and a lad called Lawrie McMenemy on the same course. Although offered coaching jobs in England, took us to live in Australia instead before settling in Norfolk and Suffolk until his death.

Chelsea have been very good to dad and it meant a lot being invited back for any game, in hospitality , to a game of his choosing, at least 4 times in his later life, also getting to meet Roy Bentley, who used to travel to games with dad and look after him, and say thank you (picture)
 

Thanks for your help, Chelsea will always have a special place in our family.

 

1 hour ago, Barrie said:

Hi everyone,

just wanted to pass on the sad news that my dad Len Kell passed away yesterday after a very long battle with Alzheimer’s, he was 91 years old.

Although not playing many games for the first team before moving on, he always spoke very fondly of his 6+ years he was at the club , after being brought down from Teeside, as a 17 year old boy.
 

His big mate was another lad from that area called Bob Smith, who went  onto great things. They lived in digs opposite the ground in Britannia Rd  but both fell out with the then manager Ted Drake and got pushed out. 
 

It was fellow Chelsea players Frank Blunstone and Ron Greenwood who encouraged dad to get his coaching badges, which he did, at the same time as Jack Charlton, Bob Paisley and a lad called Lawrie McMenemy on the same course. Although offered coaching jobs in England, took us to live in Australia instead before settling in Norfolk and Suffolk until his death.

Chelsea have been very good to dad and it meant a lot being invited back for any game, in hospitality , to a game of his choosing, at least 4 times in his later life, also getting to meet Roy Bentley, who used to travel to games with dad and look after him, and say thank you (picture)
 

Thanks for your help, Chelsea will always have a special place in our family.

 

Sorry to hear of your loss but always nice to get a bit of history of Chelsea players past.

RIP.

 

Nice to hear a little bit of history about a former player. RIP

 

Out of interest is Mercer in the lower team sheet, Joe Mercer?

Most probably it is Joe Mercer.

The Chelsea player on the right wing in the program, Roy Bentley, is the man sitting in the photo with my dad. 
 

He is  without doubt a Chelsea legend and according to my dad was a super guy, who helped him no end. 

Love the history, thank you.

On 15/12/2023 at 11:32, Barrie said:

Hi everyone,

just wanted to pass on the sad news that my dad Len Kell passed away yesterday after a very long battle with Alzheimer’s, he was 91 years old.

Although not playing many games for the first team before moving on, he always spoke very fondly of his 6+ years he was at the club , after being brought down from Teeside, as a 17 year old boy.
 

His big mate was another lad from that area called Bob Smith, who went  onto great things. They lived in digs opposite the ground in Britannia Rd  but both fell out with the then manager Ted Drake and got pushed out. 
 

It was fellow Chelsea players Frank Blunstone and Ron Greenwood who encouraged dad to get his coaching badges, which he did, at the same time as Jack Charlton, Bob Paisley and a lad called Lawrie McMenemy on the same course. Although offered coaching jobs in England, took us to live in Australia instead before settling in Norfolk and Suffolk until his death.

Chelsea have been very good to dad and it meant a lot being invited back for any game, in hospitality , to a game of his choosing, at least 4 times in his later life, also getting to meet Roy Bentley, who used to travel to games with dad and look after him, and say thank you (picture)
 

Thanks for your help, Chelsea will always have a special place in our family.

 

Sorry for your loss mate

Thank you for your post , a great piece of Chelsea history .  Btw, you mentioned Frank Blunstone , he had a sports shop in Lavender Hill ( I think) in the 60s

Take care , hope you have a good New Year

Edited December 30, 20232 yr by The Rising Sun
Info

On 15/12/2023 at 12:32, Barrie said:

Hi everyone,

just wanted to pass on the sad news that my dad Len Kell passed away yesterday after a very long battle with Alzheimer’s, he was 91 years old.

Although not playing many games for the first team before moving on, he always spoke very fondly of his 6+ years he was at the club , after being brought down from Teeside, as a 17 year old boy.
 

His big mate was another lad from that area called Bob Smith, who went  onto great things. They lived in digs opposite the ground in Britannia Rd  but both fell out with the then manager Ted Drake and got pushed out. 
 

It was fellow Chelsea players Frank Blunstone and Ron Greenwood who encouraged dad to get his coaching badges, which he did, at the same time as Jack Charlton, Bob Paisley and a lad called Lawrie McMenemy on the same course. Although offered coaching jobs in England, took us to live in Australia instead before settling in Norfolk and Suffolk until his death.

Chelsea have been very good to dad and it meant a lot being invited back for any game, in hospitality , to a game of his choosing, at least 4 times in his later life, also getting to meet Roy Bentley, who used to travel to games with dad and look after him, and say thank you (picture)
 

Thanks for your help, Chelsea will always have a special place in our family.

 

Thank you for sharing this wonderful history. It's hard to lose a parent. People think it's all fine when they're so old, but it's not, they're still our mum or our dad we have to miss.

My condolences to you and your family.

Sorting through dad’s old photo albums, I came across these from his Chelsea days.

Dad with his best mate Bob Smith ( later Spurs & England Center forward) both from the north east, loved London & Chelsea. 

Also training at Stamford Bridge, with club legend Roy Bentley ( dad spoke very highly of as a man), Ron Greenwood ( later West Ham/England manager. Encouraged dad to get  his FA coaching qualifications)