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Chelsea legend Roy Bentley - who skippered the club to their first ever trophy - has died aged 93.

The striker was one of the stars of the 1955 title winning side and was a regular visitor to Stamford Bridge on match days even in his later years.

Chelsea celebrated his imminent 90th birthday at their last home game of the 2013/14 season against Norwich, with his family and friends as special guests.

Bentley spent eight years at Stamford Bridge after signing for the club back in 1948 and finished top scorer for seven consecutive seasons.

(Image: Sportimage/PA Images)

The Blues paid £11,000 for his services in January that year with Bentley employed to replace one of his childhood heroes, the great Tommy Lawton.

He ended up scoring 150 goals in 367 appearances, with his crowning glory captaining the side to their maiden league title in 1955.

(Image: Popperfoto)

Bentley was informed of the club’s decision to move him on a year later, and despite widespread protest from the fans, he was allowed to leave for neighbours Fulham late in the summer of 1956.

He went on to have a short spell playing for Queens Park Rangers before his retirement in 1962, but wouldn't give up there and managed Reading and Swansea, earning promotion to division three with the latter.

(Image: S&G and Barratts)

But Chelsea were in his heart, saying: "I always found Chelsea fans a great bunch.

"Running out onto the old Stamford Bridge pitch and seeing the applause spread round the whole ground, all the way up to The Shed at the back, really did make you glow.

"When we were doing well and the ground was packed with more than 70,000 fans, it was something else."

(Image: Western Mail Archive)

Bentley was a regular at Stamford Bridge before his passing and he was there when the Blues were crowned champions for a second time in their 100-year history in 2005 - 50 years after lifting the title himself.

He and his former team-mate Stan Willemse carried the silverware onto the pitch to great applause before it was handed to John Terry and co.