Former Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick has died aged 84, the club have announced.

Keswick spent seven years in the role until he stepped down in 2020, having initially joined the Gunners' board of directors in 2005.

Arsenal said: 'It is with great sadness that the club reports the death of former chairman, Sir Chips Keswick.

'A lifelong Arsenal supporter, he was a regular at Highbury after first standing in the boys' enclosure in 1949 and listed his early heroes as the Compton brothers and Jimmy Logie but, above all, goalkeeper - and later manager - George Swindin, as young Chips was a budding schoolboy keeper himself.'

Keswick, a former chairman of Hambros Bank and also a director of the Bank of England, succeeded Peter Hill-Wood as Arsenal chairman in 2013.

Former Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick has died aged 84, the club have announced

The Gunners added: 'He joined the board, along with Lord Harris, on November 24, 2005, and proved himself to be a clear-thinking, popular and influential presence in the boardroom, and when Peter Hill-Wood stepped down as Chairman in June 2013, Sir Chips was the natural choice to take up the prestigious position.  

'During his time as chairman, he oversaw the club's regular participation in the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup victories of 2017 and 2020 with the latter, fittingly, a successful ending to his very positive association with the club.

'Retirement allowed him to spend more time with his beloved family as well as indulge in his other great sporting passion, horse racing - he was a respected owner of numerous racehorses over the years.

'Sir Chips will be greatly missed by everyone at Arsenal who knew him and we extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Lady Sarah and their children David, Tobias and Adam.'

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters also offered a tribute to Arsenal's late former chairman.

'As well as his contribution to Arsenal, Chips will be remembered fondly as a true gentleman with great wit, someone who always had the best interests of the game in mind,' Masters said. 

'He will be missed by his many friends within the game.'