Overview
- David Sullivan, who resigned as West Ham co-chair in June and denies allegations against him, attended the Carabao Cup tie with Portsmouth on Saturday despite a formal recommendation from London Stadium that he should stay away.
- London Stadium said it recommended Sullivan not attend because of safeguarding issues and the risk of demonstrations, and it asked West Ham for advance notice of any planned visits so it could plan extra safety measures.
- There were no reported incidents or unrest at the match, which was West Ham’s first competitive fixture since the allegations were published and was played before a large crowd following heavy season-ticket sales.
- Separately, West Ham’s ownership picture is shifting: Vanessa Gold has agreed to sell her 25.1% stake to a consortium led by Amanda Staveley while Daniel Kretinsky has trimmed his holding below 25%, a combination that changes pre-emption dynamics and could alter control of the club.
- The episode leaves unresolved questions about how the club will balance safeguarding, fan reaction and shareholder rights, and it increases the likelihood of further scrutiny of stadium security plans, board decisions and any future share moves.