19 years ago today we lost a true legend of Chelsea Football Club. His legacy will forever be remembered; for everything that he did for us as our vice-president.
He tradgically died while travelling back with friends Ray Deane, Tony Burridge, John Bauldie and Mick Gross from watching Chelsea play a League Cup game away to Bolton Wanderers when their helicopter crashed.
He was a lifelong Chelsea fan and invested £26 million into the club without hesitiation when then Chelsea owner Ken Bates asked for investment in 1996; As of the investment he had given to Chelsea he was given a place on the Chelsea board. He was seen by the fans as “The Fans Chairman”. One of the reasons was becuase he would never sit in an executive box like the others; he would sit in the stands with the rest of the fans after a dispute with Ken Bates.
He would even take every opportunity to ride on the team bus. He would ask the players for autographs and momentos even though that they were employed by him. This shows how much of a true fan he was, even in his time in the Chelsea boardroom he would treat the players as fans would.
His investment allowed us to build a new North Stand which has now been named The Matthew Harding Stand in his honour.
His name is still sung in the stands at Stamford Bridge today, along with our stand named after him also; We all thank you for what you did for our club.
R.I.P Matthew Harding – Gone but never forgotten
