Arsenal life president Ken Friar, who helped build the Emirates, dies at 92
File photo: Ed g2s (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Arsenal said on October 13, 2026 that life president Ken Friar, who served the club for about 70 years and helped deliver the Emirates Stadium, has died at 92.
What Happened
Arsenal announced on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 that Ken Friar, the club's life president and one of the longest-serving officials in English football, has died at the age of 92. In a statement the club said, "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Life President Ken Friar OBE," adding that no one had influenced Arsenal Football Club quite like "Mr Friar". Friar started at the club as a boy in the 1940s, rose to become club secretary and managing director, helped steer the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, and was made life president in 2020 after stepping down from the board.
Key Facts
- Ken Friar died aged 92; Arsenal announced his death on October 13, 2026.
- He first worked for Arsenal as a youngster in the box office after a chance meeting with the then manager George Allison, whose parked car his football had rolled under.
- He became club secretary in 1973 and later served for many years as managing director.
- From 2000 he took charge of the project to move Arsenal from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, working with fellow director Danny Fiszman; the new ground opened in 2006.
- In 2011 the bridge linking the Emirates Stadium to Arsenal Underground station was renamed the Ken Friar Bridge in his honour.
- He was appointed OBE for services to football and became the club's life president in September 2020.
Why It Matters
Most fans know a football club through its players and managers. Friar's career shows the other side of the game: the administrators who keep a club running across generations. He worked for Arsenal for around seven decades, through eras when the club moved from a traditional, family-run institution to a global business with supporters around the world, including a large following in India.
His most visible legacy is the Emirates Stadium. Moving a club after many decades at Highbury to a new ground was a financial and political challenge, involving land deals, planning approvals and heavy borrowing. Friar and Fiszman were central to delivering it, and the larger stadium gave Arsenal the matchday income it needed to compete at the top of the modern Premier League. The bridge that carries his name is walked by tens of thousands of supporters on every home matchday.
His story is also a reminder of how football clubs once recruited staff: through chance, loyalty and long apprenticeships rather than corporate hiring. Few people in any industry stay with one employer from childhood to old age; in English football, a span of service like Friar's is rare.
| | Year | Milestone | |
|---|---|
| | 1973 | Became Arsenal club secretary | |
| | 2000 | Took charge of the stadium move project | |
| | 2006 | Emirates Stadium opened | |
| | 2011 | Bridge to the stadium renamed after him | |
| | 2020 | Named life president | |
Impact
Short-term: Arsenal and its supporters are expected to mark his death at the club's next home match, and tributes are coming in from across English football.
Long-term: His role in moving Arsenal to the Emirates Stadium shaped the club's finances and identity for decades, and the bridge named after him keeps his name part of every matchday.
Who is affected: Arsenal staff, players and supporters worldwide, English football administrators, and the Islington community around the club's grounds.
Key Takeaway
Ken Friar, whose death at 92 Arsenal announced on October 13, 2026, served Arsenal for around seventy years and helped deliver the Emirates Stadium.
Questions and Answers
Who was Ken Friar?
Ken Friar was Arsenal's life president and a former club secretary and managing director who worked for the club for around seven decades, starting as a boy in the 1940s.
When did Ken Friar die and how old was he?
Arsenal announced on October 13, 2026 that he had died at the age of 92.
What was his role in the Emirates Stadium?
From 2000 he oversaw Arsenal's move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium alongside director Danny Fiszman. The stadium opened in 2006.
What is the Ken Friar Bridge?
It is the bridge linking the Emirates Stadium to Arsenal Underground station, renamed in his honour in 2011.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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