Chopper opens old wounds over Bates

Ron Harris believes Ken Bates will become the forgotten man of Stamford Bridge if Chelsea win trophies this season.

The club's record appearance holder says Bates' legacy will mean very little to fans when set against the new era under Roman Abramovich.

Jose Mourinho's team are five points clear at the top of the Premiership and have reached the latter stages of the Carling Cup and Champions League.

In 22 years as chairman, Bates oversaw two FA Cup wins, a European Cup-Winners' Cup and a League Cup success and transformed the club's stadium but Harris, 60, said: "If Chelsea win three or four trophies, people will quickly forget about Ken Bates. Although he did very well for Chelsea in things like building the stadium, his legacy won't be that great. I think Chelsea will win the Premiership this year and, as long as Abramovich is there, they will dominate for years to come.

"In the longer term, people will talk about the players of the 1970s and the Abramovich-Mourinho team. The Bates era will be largely forgotten."

Despite being an idol to most Chelsea fans, the hardman was told he was "not welcome" at Stamford Bridge under Bates after the pair fell out. Harris, who has had his autobiography Chopper, A Chelsea Legend published, said: "I always felt Ken Bates had a problem with the players from the 1970s."