Bullish Blues vow to fight ex-chairman Bates’ £2m lawsuit

CHELSEA have vowed to “vigorously defend” a stg£2million writ brought against them by Ken Bates as the row between the outgoing chairman and owner Roman Abramovich threatened to end in court.

Bates is suing Chelsea for what he claims was a breach of the contract he signed with Abramovich last summer.

He believed the deal entitled him to generous expense allowances for work on club business, as well as the honour of representing Chelsea at Football Association and Premier League meetings for the next two years.

However, Bates, who resigned as chairman last week after 22 years at the helm, had found his position marginalised and power base diminished after the arrival of chief executive Peter Kenyon and Bruce Buck, the new chairman of the Chelsea Village parent company.

72-year-old Bates has reportedly even threatened to subpoena Abramovich to give evidence if the case ever comes to court.

Chelsea are insisting they have acted "responsibly and honourably" during the whole affair.

The Chelsea website stated: "We can confirm that Ken Bates has instituted legal proceedings against Chelsea Village plc and Chelsea Football Club for breach of contract.

"We will be vigorously defending this action as we are satisfied that we have behaved both responsibly and honourably in every way in our dealings with Ken Bates."

Buck, meanwhile, has also rejected Bates' outspoken criticisms of the club, made last week.

Bates had declared: "I feel that and I have taken advice on this that the agreement I had in July has not been honoured. It has been broken and I have resigned as chairman of Chelsea Football Club."

Buck responded by writing in the programme for Tuesday's Champions League tie against Stuttgart: "We hit the headlines on most of the back pages with the sudden departure of Ken Bates.

"He decided to announce his resignation at one of his famous supper clubs, taking everyone by surprise and making it clear ... he had issues with the way that the club has been run.

"Needless to say, we respect Ken's views but strongly disagree with them in this case.

"Ken has been the face of the club for many fans and we will miss him, but he will never be forgotten."