Matthew was born in Haywards Heath, Sussex, the son of Paul Harding, an insurance executive. He attended Abingdon School in Abingdon-on-Thames from 1964 until 1971. He was a member of the badminton first team, for which he was awarded half-colours, in addition to being a cricket first XI player, captain of the colts cricket team and a member of the hockey second XI. Although he enjoyed the sport, he did not enjoy the school ethos, earning a single 'A' Level in Latin.

In June 1995, he was appointed a "Steward" of Abingdon School and presented the awards at "Leavers' Day". He also donated £500,000 towards the school's "Mercers Court", a new IT centre where one of the rooms was named "The Matthew Harding Careers Room" in his honour after his particular interest in offering career's advice to the students. He returned to the school just weeks before his death to speak to a small group of sixth formers about his road to success.

He left school and went to London. Through his father's friendship with Ted Benfield, he joined the insurance brokers Benfield, Lovick & Rees and it was in the insurance industry that he made his fortune, starting out by making the tea and going on to be a director. By 1980, he had acquired a 32% stake in the company, becoming one of Britain's 100 richest men.

A banner at Stamford Bridge in 2014, in tribute to Harding. It reads "Matthew Harding's Blue & White Army"
A lifelong fan of Chelsea Football Club, he responded to Chelsea chairman Ken Bates' call for new investment in the club in 1993. In October 1993, he was appointed as a Chelsea Football Club director. He invested £26.5 million in the club, including £7.5m towards construction of the "Matthew Harding Stand", £16.5m to buy the Stamford Bridge freehold and transfer funds.

Matthew died at the age of 42 in a helicopter accident in October 1996, while flying back from a Chelsea match at Bolton Wanderers, along with the pilot and three passengers, including journalist John Bauldie. The crash took place at night and in poor weather, near Middlewich, Cheshire.

Tragically, his death came just months before Chelsea after a 26 year wait won major silverware with the FA Cup. His name was sung by the thousands of Blues supporters who were at Wembley that day and his presence and contribution have never been forgotten since. His successful professional life might have led Matthew Harding to the boardroom, but he remained fundamentally a down-to-earth dyed-in-the-wool Chelsea fan.

As Hoddle told the Chelsea matchday programme in later years, 'Matthew will be sitting up there looking down now and loving Chelsea being winners. He'll just love Chelsea winning'.

Matthew was born in Haywards Heath, Sussex, the son of Paul Harding, an insurance executive. He attended Abingdon School in Abingdon-on-Thames from 1964 until 1971. He was a member of the badminton first team, for which he was awarded half-colours, in addition to being a cricket first XI player, captain of the colts cricket team and a member of the hockey second XI. Although he enjoyed the sport, he did not enjoy the school ethos, earning a single 'A' Level in Latin.

In June 1995, he was appointed a "Steward" of Abingdon School and presented the awards at "Leavers' Day". He also donated £500,000 towards the school's "Mercers Court", a new IT centre where one of the rooms was named "The Matthew Harding Careers Room" in his honour after his particular interest in offering career's advice to the students. He returned to the school just weeks before his death to speak to a small group of sixth formers about his road to success.

He left school and went to London. Through his father's friendship with Ted Benfield, he joined the insurance brokers Benfield, Lovick & Rees and it was in the insurance industry that he made his fortune, starting out by making the tea and going on to be a director. By 1980, he had acquired a 32% stake in the company, becoming one of Britain's 100 richest men.

A banner at Stamford Bridge in 2014, in tribute to Harding. It reads "Matthew Harding's Blue & White Army"
A lifelong fan of Chelsea Football Club, he responded to Chelsea chairman Ken Bates' call for new investment in the club in 1993. In October 1993, he was appointed as a Chelsea Football Club director. He invested £26.5 million in the club, including £7.5m towards construction of the "Matthew Harding Stand", £16.5m to buy the Stamford Bridge freehold and transfer funds.

Matthew died at the age of 42 in a helicopter accident in October 1996, while flying back from a Chelsea match at Bolton Wanderers, along with the pilot and three passengers, including journalist John Bauldie. The crash took place at night and in poor weather, near Middlewich, Cheshire.

Tragically, his death came just months before Chelsea after a 26 year wait won major silverware with the FA Cup. His name was sung by the thousands of Blues supporters who were at Wembley that day and his presence and contribution have never been forgotten since. His successful professional life might have led Matthew Harding to the boardroom, but he remained fundamentally a down-to-earth dyed-in-the-wool Chelsea fan.

As Hoddle told the Chelsea matchday programme in later years, 'Matthew will be sitting up there looking down now and loving Chelsea being winners. He'll just love Chelsea winning'.