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Arsenal confirm passing of Ken Friar at 92

Arsenal have confirmed the passing of former board member and club secretary Ken Friar, at the age of 92.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: A general view of the outside of the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Arsenal FC and FC Kairat Almaty at Arsenal Stadium on January 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Arsenal confirmed early on Tuesday afternoon that their former managing director Ken Friar has died.

Friar began working for Arsenal on a part-time basis all the way back in 1946, steadily rising through the ranks to take on that managing director role in 1983.

Friar held that role until the year 2000, before serving on the board up until his retirement in 2020. He was awarded an OBE for services to association football in 2000, and Arsenal named the bridge from the Arsenal tube station to the Emirates the ‘Ken Friar Bridge’.

ken friar bridge
The Ken Friar Bridge

The Islington-born man remained popular at Arsenal throughout his life, even during the period when many on the club’s board would not have been received so warmly by supporters.

As Arsenal point out in their statement, there was a time when Friar was effectively running the club, and it was a period of some success for the Gunners.

Later, when he was working on the board, Friar was the director responsible for the club’s move to the Emirates Stadium in 2006. Many fans have expressed their gratitude on Tuesday at the fact Friar lived long enough to see the new ground’s first Premier League title success.

A general view as the Open Top Bus passes the entrance to Highbury Station as fans celebrate during the Arsenal Trophy Parade on May 31, 2026 in Islington, England. Arsenal clinched their first Premier League title in 22 years earlier this month
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

On a sad day for the Arsenal community, our thoughts are with Friar’s family and friends, and hopefully the team can put on a show in his honour in Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Lille.

Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis (L) and Arsenal Director Ken Friar (R) applaud during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at White Hart Lane on March 16, 2014 in London, England.  (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images
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