Brian Mears
Encyclopedia
Joseph Brian Mears was a chairman of Chelsea Football Club
. He was the son of Joe Mears
, also a chairman of Chelsea, and grandson of Joseph Mears
, co-founder of the club. He was born in Richmond, Surrey
, and educated at Malvern College
. In 1950 he emigrated to Canada
where he began working life in a seed factory. He returned to the United Kingdom shortly afterwards and did his national service
as a radio operator in the Royal Air Force
.
Brian Mears took over as chairman following the death of Len Withey in 1969 and presided over the club's successful period in the early 1970s, when the FA Cup
and Cup Winners' Cup were won in consecutive seasons. He remained in the position until 1981, when a boardroom coup d'etat
led by Viscount Chelsea saw him removed with the club in a dire position both on and off the pitch, mainly a result of the disastrous attempt to redevelop Stamford Bridge
during the 1970s. He sold the club to Ken Bates
a year later for a nominal sum of £
1. Mears came under fire when his shares in the Stamford Bridge freehold were later sold to property developers Marler Estates; he insisted that it was his wife who controlled the shares.
After leaving Chelsea, Mears relocated to the United States
, where he was involved with several North American soccer teams and ran a car dealership in Long Beach, California
. He wrote several books on Chelsea. Despite befriending Chelsea director Matthew Harding
and chairman Bruce Buck
in later years, he never set foot in Stamford Bridge again
He married June Ware in 1955 and they had two children, a son Christopher and a daughter Suzanne who are both happily married with children of their own. Suzanne emigrated to the USA thirty years ago where she spent time with Brian when he was living and working in Los Angeles during the 80s.
Mears died of heart failure on 28 July 2009.
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. He was the son of Joe Mears
Joe Mears
John 'Joe' Mears was chairman of Chelsea Football Club and the Football Association.Mears was the son and nephew of Chelsea F.C. founders, Joseph and Gus Mears respectively. He was a goalkeeper for the Old Malvernians before joining the Chelsea board in 1931, in doing so becoming the youngest...
, also a chairman of Chelsea, and grandson of Joseph Mears
Joseph Mears
Joseph Theophilus "JT" Mears , was an English businessman, most notable for co-founding Chelsea Football Club.Joseph Mears was born in 1871 in Hammersmith, London, the elder son of Joseph Mears, a builder....
, co-founder of the club. He was born in Richmond, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
. In 1950 he emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he began working life in a seed factory. He returned to the United Kingdom shortly afterwards and did his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
as a radio operator in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
Brian Mears took over as chairman following the death of Len Withey in 1969 and presided over the club's successful period in the early 1970s, when the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and Cup Winners' Cup were won in consecutive seasons. He remained in the position until 1981, when a boardroom coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
led by Viscount Chelsea saw him removed with the club in a dire position both on and off the pitch, mainly a result of the disastrous attempt to redevelop Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
during the 1970s. He sold the club to Ken Bates
Ken Bates
Kenneth William Bates is a British businessman and football executive. The current chairman and now owner of Leeds United AFC, Bates was previously chairman and majority shareholder of Chelsea FC from 1982 until 2003....
a year later for a nominal sum of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1. Mears came under fire when his shares in the Stamford Bridge freehold were later sold to property developers Marler Estates; he insisted that it was his wife who controlled the shares.
After leaving Chelsea, Mears relocated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he was involved with several North American soccer teams and ran a car dealership in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. He wrote several books on Chelsea. Despite befriending Chelsea director Matthew Harding
Matthew Harding
Matthew Harding was a British businessman, vice-chairman of Chelsea football club and a major financial supporter of New Labour .-Early years:...
and chairman Bruce Buck
Bruce Buck
Bruce M. Buck is an American attorney and founding managing partner of the London office of U.S. law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom . He is also Chairman of Chelsea Football Club...
in later years, he never set foot in Stamford Bridge again
He married June Ware in 1955 and they had two children, a son Christopher and a daughter Suzanne who are both happily married with children of their own. Suzanne emigrated to the USA thirty years ago where she spent time with Brian when he was living and working in Los Angeles during the 80s.
Mears died of heart failure on 28 July 2009.
External links
- Brian Mears - Daily Telegraph obituary
- Brian Mears: Chelsea Football Club chairman - The Times obituary, August 10, 2009.