Arsenal have announced the death of former chairman Sir Chips Keswick at the age of 84.
An Eton-educated merchant banker, Keswick was an Arsenal supporter from a young age and formed a strong bond with his Gunners predecessor Peter Hill-Wood.
Keswick became a member of the Arsenal board in 2005, helping to oversee the club's move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium within the first year of his tenure in office.
After nearly eight years as a director, Keswick was appointed club chairman in 2013 when Hill-Wood stepped down, and the Gunners won three FA Cups with the Bank of England director at the helm.
Keswick left his position as club chairman in May 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision he took before the coronavirus crisis, since when Stan Kroenke and Josh Kroenke have served as Arsenal's co-chairmen.
Everyone at the Club is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Sir Chips Keswick.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 19, 2024
Sir Chips' time at Arsenal spanned 15 years in which he served as both a board member and Chairman.
May he rest in peace ❤️
'Sir Chips lived the values of Arsenal'
"It is with great sadness that the club reports the death of former Chairman, Sir Chips Keswick," Arsenal said in a tribute. "A lifelong Arsenal supporter, he was a regular at Highbury after first standing in the boys' enclosure in 1949 and listed his early heroes as the Compton brothers and Jimmy Logie but, above all, goalkeeper – and later manager – George Swindin, as young Chips was a budding schoolboy keeper himself.
"Sir Chips very much lived the values of Arsenal Football Club and guided the club expertly for the subsequent seven seasons, stepping down in May 2020, shortly after he had celebrated his 80th birthday.
"During his time as Chairman, he oversaw the club's regular participation in the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup victories of 2017 and 2020 with the latter, fittingly, a successful ending to his very positive association with the club.
"Retirement allowed him to spend more time with his beloved family as well as indulge in his other great sporting passion, horse racing – he was a respected owner of numerous racehorses over the years.
"Sir Chips will be greatly missed by everyone at Arsenal who knew him and we extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Lady Sarah and their children David, Tobias and Adam."
Arsenal sit second in the Premier League table and will have the chance to leapfrog Manchester City into first place when they take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday night.
Ben Knapton
