Casey, who was 91, was a ball-winning midfielder – a left-half – who was an amateur playing for Leyton, where he won the FA Amateur Cup, when he was signed by Ted Drake in February 1954. He later recalled that the offer to sign included not only a wage but a new suit to smarten him up, having just come out of national service with a demob suit.

He did not feature in the League Championship-winning season that followed but instead made his debut away at West Bromwich Albion in March 1956, playing a run of seven games that included a 6-1 home win over Everton.

His most involvement came in the 1957/58 campaign during which he played 21 league matches and three games in the FA Cup, as a Chelsea side spearheaded by a young Jimmy Greaves finished mid-table in the top flight. A highlight was beating Manchester United’s ‘Busby Babes’ at Old Trafford.

Having made 37 Chelsea appearances, Casey moved on to Plymouth Argyle in December 1958 with a fee of £12,000 paid for him and Wally Bellett who moved at the same time. He played three years at Plymouth before becoming a staff training officer at the General Electric Company, a second career that led to the awarding of an MBE.

He had been our oldest surviving former player. That is now believed to be Len Kell.

All at Chelsea send our deepest condolences to Len Casey’s family and friends.

• Click to read an interview with Len Casey from 2021