Bruce Buck steps down as Chelsea Chairman after 19 years; sparks meme fest

Bruce Buck, who has served as Chelsea chairman since 2003, is stepping down from his position following the change of ownership at the Premier League club. On Monday, the west London team confirmed that Buck "will continue to support the club as a senior advisor."

In a statement, Buck said, "I am proud to have helped Chelsea realize great success on the pitch and make a positive impact in the community, Now is the right time to step down and let new ownership build on the strong foundations we have in place."

Last month, Chelsea was sold for 2.5 billion pounds, the highest price ever paid for a sports team, to a consortium fronted by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly.

It marked the end of the trophy-filled, 19-year tenure of Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch who was forced to sell the club in March after being sanctioned by the UK government for what it called his enabling of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "brutal and barbaric invasion" of Ukraine.

Also read: New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly urges club to respect UEFA's financial fair play rules

Under Buck's chairmanship, Chelsea has enjoyed plenty of success in the men's and women's games. The Men's team has won 21 trophies since 2003, including the Champions League on two occasions and the Premier League on five occasions. The Wome's team has lifted 13 trophies, including six league titles. 

New Owner Todd Boehly thanked Buck in a statement. "Bruce has led Chelsea Football Club to the highest levels of international and domestic football while also developing one of the most active social responsibility projects in the sport," Boehly said. "We thank Bruce for his service and commitment to the club."

However, Chelsea fans bombarded Twitter with memes and gifs as some even stated this is the best news the club has heard in a long time. Here's a look at some of the reactions: