Joe Mears

John 'Joe' Mears (1905 – 30 June 1966) 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 director (aged 26) in the Football League. A Royal Marine during the Second World War, whose duties included the security arrangements for Prime Minister Winston Churchill's bunker, he became club chairman in 1940 following the death of Colonel Crisp.

His tenure as chairman Chelsea win their first First Division title in 1954-55, and it was he who subsequently gave in to pressure from the Football League for the club not to take its place in the inaugural European Champions Cup the following season. He also oversaw the emergence of the club as one of the country's top sides during the 1960s.

Mears was chairman of the FA from 1963. He was a key figure during England's preparations to host the 1966 World Cup, and was involved in the furore when the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen. It was he who received the ransom note from the thief, and was subsequently involved in the trophy's recovery.

He died of a heart attack in Oslo in June 1966. His son, Brian, was also a chairman of the club.

References

*cite book | author=Glanvill, Rick | title=Chelsea FC: The Official Biography - The Definitive Story of the First 100 Years| publisher=Headline Book Publishing Ltd| year=2005| id=ISBN 0-7553-1465-4
*cite book | author=Mears, Brian | title=Chelsea: Football Under the Blue Flag| publisher=Mainstream Sport| year=2002| id=ISBN 1-84018-658-5