Oldham Athletic pay tribute to former chairman Ken Bates following his death aged 94

Oldham Athletic have paid tribute to the club's former chairman and owner Ken Bates following his death aged 94. Bates, best known for his time at Chelsea, bought the Latics in 1965 and spent five years at the helm at Boundary Park . He later spent a short time as part-owner of owner of Wigan Athletic before he famously bought Chelsea, then in financial dire straits, for £1 in 1982. In a statement today Oldham Athletic said: "We are saddened to learn of the passing of our former chairman, Ken Bates, aged 94. We send our thoughts and condolences to Ken's family and friends at this time." Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter Bates spent 22 years at Stamford Bridge, establishing the club towards the top end of the Premier League before selling up to Roman Abramovich for £140m in 2003. He then took over at Leeds in 2005, where he also served as chairman. Chelsea said Bates died peacefully on Saturday morning surrounded by his wife and family in Monaco. Chelsea’s statement read: "It is with great sadness that we share the news of the loss of Ken Bates, former owner and chairman of Chelsea Football Club. The club sends our heartfelt condolences to Ken’s wife Suzannah, the rest of his family and his friends. "Ken’s determination to fight for Chelsea when times were tough, and drive the team on to winning trophies will never be forgotten." When Bates took over he immediately saved Chelsea’s future, taking on around £2million worth of debt, and managed to keep Chelsea in the old Division Two before going on to turn the club’s fortunes around. While Bates was in charge, Chelsea were promoted into the top flight before going on to win the FA Cup twice – ending a 26-year wait for major silverware in the process in 1997. They also won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Community Shield and the Full Members’ Cup, a competition he jointly founded, twice. But Bates' time at the club wasn't without controversy. He angered supporters in 1985 when he installed a 12ft-high, 12-volt electric perimeter fence at the stadium in order to deal with pitch invaders. The fence was never activated after Greater London council intervened on safety grounds. When Bates eventually left Chelsea, he took a 50 per cent stake at Leeds and remained there for seven years before selling the club in 2012. Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, in a statement, said it was 'deeply saddened' to learn of Bates’ passing. The statement added: "Ken was one of the most significant figures in Chelsea Football Club’s modern history. Taking charge during one of the club’s most difficult periods, he played a defining role in securing the club’s future at Stamford Bridge and helping lay the foundations for the success that followed. "His impact on Chelsea will be remembered for generations, and his place in the club’s history is assured. The thoughts of the CST board & all our members around the globe are with Ken’s family, friends and all those who knew him. Thank You, Ken."