Former Arsenal chairman Sir John 'Chips' Keswick dies aged 84

Former Arsenal chairman and boyhood Gunners supporter John ‘Chips’ Keswick has died at the age of 84.

Keswick joined the Arsenal board in 2005, taking on the mantle of chairman in 2013, succeeding Peter Hill-Wood. He remained in the role until 2020, when he retired to pursue individual hobbies.

Keswick was a regular attendee at Highbury during his youth - he made a name for himself in the banking industry, becoming the chairman of Hambros Bank from 1986 to 1998. Additionally he also rose to become a director of the Bank of England

A statement on Arsenal’s official club website following Keswick’s passing reads: “It is with great sadness that the club reports the death of former Chairman, Sir Chips Keswick. 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.”