Former Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick dies aged 84 as club pay tribute

Arsenal have announced former chairman Sir Chips Keswick has died at the age of 84.

Keswick spent seven years leading the Gunners from 2013, until he retired in May 2020, having been a director at the Premier League club since 2005. Part of the Keswick family business dynasty, he was a merchant banker and was chairman of Hambros Bank for 12 years from 1986.

His work in the banking sector earned him a knighthood in the 1993 New Year's Honours, with Keswick also working as a director of the Bank of England. His time at Hambros brought him into contact with Peter Hill-Wood, who pushed for his appointment to the Gunners board.

He replaced Hill-Wood as chairman in the summer of 2013, helping Arsenal to win two FA Cups. Arsenal issued an emotional tribute as they sent their condolences to his family.

"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," a club statement read.

"He joined the board, along with Lord Harris, on November 24, 2005, and proved himself to be a clear-thinking, popular and influential presence in the boardroom, and when Peter Hill-Wood stepped down as Chairman in June 2013, Sir Chips was the natural choice to take up the prestigious position.

"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."

When he retired four years ago, Keswick described being chairman of Arsenal as a 'great honour. He also insisted that the Gunners would continue to hold a special place in his heart.

“It has been an honour to be the chairman of this great football club. Arsenal has always held a special place in my life and that will remain the case in the future. I made my plan to retire at the end of this season clear to the board, before the global health crisis we are now experiencing," he said.

"The club is in safe hands with Stan and Josh, the board and the executive team. I know Arsenal will emerge strongly from this situation and I look forward, like all our supporters around the world, to seeing the team in action as soon as possible.”

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