Colin Sweeney, a Chelsea fan, has shared a memorable encounter with former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, who died on 11 July. In a letter to the Guardian, Sweeney recounts a celebration at Stamford Bridge in 1999.
Celebration at Stamford Bridge
On his parents' 60th wedding anniversary in 1999, Sweeney and his family dined at one of the restaurants inside Chelsea's stadium, Stamford Bridge. Upon learning of the occasion, Ken Bates and his partner came down from their flat and bought pink champagne for the entire party.
The chip transaction
During the evening, Bates asked one of the great-grandchildren, Matthew, for a chip. The child refused, but when Bates offered £1 for it, Matthew agreed to the transaction. Bates then wrote a promissory note on a napkin, guaranteeing Matthew a position in Chelsea's finance department.
