MATTHEW HARDING might have only been a player on the footballing stage for three years, but there was no disguising the shock and sense of loss at news of the helicopter crash which claimed his life.

Harding, the 42 year old multimillionaire listed as Britain's 89th richest man, was one of five people killed when their aircraft crashed on the way home from Chelsea's 2-1 English League Cup third round defeat by Bolton at Burnden Park on Tuesday.

Harding, a Chelsea fan from the 60s who became a director three years ago at the invitation of chairman Ken Bates, invested around £11 million in the club. And he became the landlord at their Stamford Bridge ground when he bought the site in his capacity as boss of city insurance group Benfield.

The father of three also became Chelsea vice chairman earlier this year following a much publicised boardroom battle with Bates which was settled, reportedly, by compromise on both sides after it appeared the two men were struggling for outright control.

The regular procession of ordinary fans who trooped up to the main gates of Stamford Bridge yesterday to lay wreaths of tribute summed up the impact Harding had made in his three years with the club.

And their warm words were matched across the footballing spectrum, as friends and officials alike all paid tribute to the man known by many as `Mr Chelsea'.

Few felt the pain of Harding's death more than England coach Glenn Hoddle, a close friend who was "deeply shocked" by the news. It is almost unbelievable that the game should lose somebody who had so much to offer, who was so young and in such circumstances," said Hoddle.

"Matthew made a considerable contribution to football and to Chelsea in particular and still had a huge contribution to make in the future. He had a great enthusiasm for life, for football and Chelsea but he always said he wouldn't have done it for any other club. He'd only do it for Chelsea. If success is round the corner, the energy he put into the club will be a massive reason for it."

Stamford Bridge legend Peter Osgood, Harding's idol when the vice chairman was growing up on the terraces and who became a friend, spoke of a "lovely guy" who would be missed by everybody in the game.

Floral tributes and wreaths covered the gates outside Stamford Bridge. One said: "To a friend of the ordinary fans, you will be missed by so many of us.

In an emotional press conference at Stamford Bridge, manager Ruud Gullit spoke of his "depression" at the vice chairman's a tragic death. Gullit and his players were on the coach back from Bolton when the manager was told by a journalist of the crash.

"I didn't know if what I had been told was really the truth, so I didn't say anything to the players," he said. "The only one who knew was Dennis Wise, because he is the captain, but we wanted to wait until we had confirmed what had happened.

"I feel very depressed and I can imagine it's been very hard for the players. He was a guy who wanted to be a player also, one of us, and was more like a supporter really than a director. He wanted it that way. I knew him for a short time but I will remember him for his laugh, happiness after a game and his enthusiasm about the club. He was really a Chelsea fan and this is something l would like to treasure.

Chairman Ken Bates said: "Matthew was the catalyst of the rebuilding of Stamford Bridge. It was the unanimous decision of the board meeting that the stand would be named the Matthew Harding Stand in his memory and in recognition of what he has done for the club."