Brian Mears

Joseph Brian Mears (25 April 1931 – 28 July 2009) was the chairman of Chelsea Football Club. He was the son of Joe Mears, also a chairman of Chelsea, and grandson of Joseph Mears, co-founder of the club. He was born in Richmond, Surrey, and educated at Malvern College. In 1950 he emigrated to Canada and began working life in a seed factory. He returned to the United Kingdom shortly afterwards and did his national service as a radio operator in the Royal Air Force.

Brian Mears took over as chairman following the death of Len Withey in 1969 and presided over the club's successful period in the early 1970s, when the FA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup were won in consecutive seasons.

After leaving Chelsea, Mears relocated to the United States, where he was involved with several North American soccer teams and ran a car dealership in Long Beach, California.

Mears married June Ware in 1955 and they had two children: a son, Christopher; and a daughter, Suzanne. Through Suzanne, Mears was the father-in-law to former footballer Steve Wicks and grandfather to Wicks' son Matt.

Mears died of heart failure on 28 July 2009.