Bates hints at move to new club

Ken Bates declared he still has “another challenge” left in him after stepping down as chairman of Chelsea.

Bates, who quit his post last night after finding his influence increasingly curbed by the arrival of Roman Abramovich, is now clear to buy his way into any other club.

The former Chelsea supremo has previously dismissed links with Sheffield Wednesday but admitted in his farewell speech: “I’m 72 and I’ve got another challenge left in me.”

Bates brought his incident-packed and often controversial 22 years at the helm of the club to an end in a speech to fans, staff and directors at his monthly ’Chairman’s Supper Club’.

“I had a contract with Roman Abramovich and I anticipated a phased phase-out but that has not gone the way that I anticipated. The agreement I had in July was broken and I have decided to resign,” he explained.

“I thought long and hard about it but it is obviously a clash of eastern and western values and philosophies. Their values and philosophies are not mine.”

Bates told supporters that he had been determined to make a “clean break” so as not to outstay his welcome at the club.

He referred to the late Sir Matt Busby, who became general manager at Manchester United after his hugely successful stint as manager.

Successive managers found Busby’s celebrated act hard to follow, with Wilf McGuinness, Frank O’Farrell and Tommy Docherty all failing to live in his shadow.

Bates instead maintained that he wanted to allow the “culture of the club” to change following the arrival of Abramovich, with new chief executive Peter Kenyon now effectively in day-to-day control.

“It’s better that Peter operates the club his way, without me being on the sidelines. I think that Sir Matt inhibited his many successors,” he added.

Bates did not exactly go out with a bang, although he did warn Abramovich that patience would be required to achieve long-term success at Chelsea.

“You have to have patience to build a house, brick by brick. It doesn’t happen overnight,” he declared.

“Roman bought the toy shop and he is entitled to do what he wants with it. I hope he respects the toys that he bought and that we all enjoy here.”

Bates, who bought Chelsea for just £1 (€1.50) in 1982, albeit with significant debts, made a reported £17m (€25m) from selling his Chelsea stake to Abramovich.

He was said to have a contract to remain as football club chairman until the end of next season, when he was then due to become a life president of the club in its centenary year.

He was also expected to accompany Kenyon, who has now effectively replaced him as Stamford Bridge supremo, to Premier League chairmen’s meetings.

However, he was replaced by American lawyer Bruce Buck as chairman of the Chelsea Village parent company last month.

His notorious column in the club’s matchday programme was then unceremoniously axed and he was not even on the official club flight out to Stuttgart for last week’s Champions League tie.

With Bates now gone, however, boss Claudio Ranieri has lost his main boardroom ally. The former Chelsea chairman may yet reappear at another club though.

As he concluded: “The king is dead, long live the king. Well, he’s retired anyway.”