David Sullivan Attends West Ham Cup Tie Despite Fan Unrest Concerns

David Sullivan was back at the London Stadium on Saturday night, watching West Ham’s Carabao Cup win over Portsmouth, despite being urged to stay away from home matches.

The former joint chairman, who resigned as a director and co-owner in June, took his seat as West Ham eased to a 3-1 victory and a place in the second round. His presence, though, was the real flashpoint.

Sullivan stepped down shortly before the publication of an investigation by The Times and BBC Panorama into allegations of sexual misconduct, accusations he has strongly denied. The off-field storm has followed him, and it has now reached the turnstiles.

On Monday, a London Stadium spokesperson confirmed to Sky Sports News that the venue had “recommended” to West Ham that Sullivan should not attend matches, citing concerns over potential fan unrest. The message was clear: his return risked inflaming tensions.

Supporters’ representatives went further. The West Ham United Fan Advisory Board (FAB) publicly called on Sullivan to stay away from home fixtures, warning that his presence could become a “distraction” and raise security issues on matchdays.

In a pointed statement, the FAB said it remained concerned that Sullivan attending games at the London Stadium would cause “offence and upset” to some supporters and might provoke negative reactions in the stands. They highlighted the club’s own ground regulations, which allow entry to be refused to any individual whose presence could be a source of “danger, nuisance or annoyance” to others.

Against that backdrop, Sullivan still chose to attend.

On the pitch, West Ham did their job, seeing off Portsmouth 3-1 to move safely into the next round of the Carabao Cup. Off it, the club now faces a more complex question: how long can Sullivan’s return to the stadium coexist with a fan base that has been formally advised he should not be there at all?