In the 1980s, Chelsea faced a hooliganism epidemic, and former Stamford Bridge manager Ken Bates came up with an innovative strategy to keep troublemakers off the field.
Chelsea was governed by Ken Bates from 1982 to 2003.
In an outrageous move, former Chelsea owner Ken Bates put up a 12-foot-high electric fence to keep boisterous fans out of the playing area.
Bates bought the Blues for just £1 in 1982, and his money helped turn the struggling west Londoners into a top-flight team. His premiership also paved the way for Roman Abramovich’s trophy-filled reign.
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Chelsea were engaged in protracted legal battles with Marler Estates, who were threatening to evict them from Stamford Bridge. Bates preserved the stadium’s future by establishing Chelsea Pitch Holders after regaining the necessary freeholds. This also ensured the club maintained their current location.
The 90-year-old was in charge of turning the stadium into its current 42,000 all-seat configuration, but the Blues continued to experience issues with hooliganism among some of its fan base.
Prior to their First Division match against rival Tottenham Hotspur, Bates installed an electrified fence around the pitch’s perimeter to deter the problematic scoundrels. Bates intended to feed 12 volts over the fence’s circuit in order to deter any possible pitch intruders.
Bates stated in 1985, “People may cry about it being harmful, but it’s been used in farming for a long time. “Any fan touching the fence must release it instantly and fall 15 feet.”
Although the neighborhood council denied him permission to switch on the electricity, which made Bates furious, the fence was quickly torn down. He complained, “All this worry that a few soccer hooligans might get burned trying to scale the gates at Stamford Bridge.
Bates transformed the west London team while guiding the team back into Europe for the first time since 1972, despite his attempts to subdue the electric atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. He made a £17 million profit when he sold the club to Russian businessman Abramovich in 2003 for an eye-popping £140 million.