Sullivan Defies Advice as West Ham Advances in Carabao Cup

David Sullivan returned to the London Stadium on Saturday night, taking his seat for West Ham’s Carabao Cup tie against Portsmouth despite being urged not to attend home matches.

The former director and joint chairman, who resigned from his roles in June ahead of a Times and BBC Panorama investigation into sexual misconduct allegations, watched on as West Ham beat Portsmouth 3-1 to reach the second round. Sullivan has strongly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

His presence came against clear guidance. On Monday, a spokesperson for London Stadium confirmed to Sky Sports News that it had “recommended” to West Ham that Sullivan should not attend games, citing concerns over possible fan unrest.

Supporter representatives had gone further. The West Ham United Fan Advisory Board (FAB) publicly called on Sullivan to stay away from home fixtures, warning that his attendance risked becoming a “distraction” and a potential security issue on matchdays.

In a detailed statement, the FAB said it remained worried that Sullivan being at the London Stadium would cause “offence and upset” to sections of the fanbase and could trigger negative reactions inside the ground. The board highlighted the club’s own ground regulations, which allow entry to be refused to any person whose presence might be considered a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to others.

Despite those warnings, Sullivan chose to attend as West Ham safely navigated their first hurdle in the competition. The result moves the team on in the Carabao Cup. The debate over whether Sullivan should be there to see it, though, is only likely to intensify.