David Sullivan took his seat at the London Stadium on Saturday despite explicit advice from stadium operators to stay away, watching West Ham United secure a 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Portsmouth amid an increasingly volatile backdrop.
The former co-chairman remains a major shareholder despite no longer sitting on the board, and his conspicuous appearance came during another fraught week in the ongoing struggle over West Ham’s ownership.
Yet on the pitch, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side came from behind to advance to the second round and offer a welcome moment of footballing positivity.
Sullivan defies warnings as boardroom battle continues
As detailed in The Guardian’s match report from the London Stadium, Sullivan took his seat in the directors’ area despite advice from the stadium operators not to attend.
While visible protests around the directors’ entrance were relatively subdued before kick-off, chants against the board were heard during the second half.
The demonstration follows a summer dominated by uncertainty away from the pitch. As ReadWestHam outlined earlier on Saturday, Amanda Staveley is attempting to acquire a significant stake in the club, while Daniel Křetínský remains another major player in the ownership picture.
The Gold family have provisionally agreed to sell their 25.1% stake to a consortium led by Staveley, although the deal remains subject to West Ham’s pre-emption process. Sullivan has also reportedly rejected an offer worth around £232million for his own 38.8% holding.
Nuno insists squad will tune out external noise
Addressing the media after the final whistle, Nuno made clear that the situation away from the pitch cannot become a distraction for his squad.
Asked about the effect of Sullivan’s presence, the West Ham boss said the players would remain focused on football and could not allow outside noise to affect them.
That focus will become increasingly important with next Sunday’s Championship opener at Burnley approaching.
On Saturday, the football provided a welcome distraction. After Portsmouth took the lead through Adrian Segecic, Taty Castellanos scored twice and Jarrod Bowen added another as West Ham completed a 3-1 comeback.
The victory gave Nuno a positive competitive start ahead of a season in which immediate promotion is the clear objective.
The boardroom battle is unlikely to disappear soon.
For Nuno, consistent performances on the pitch remain the best way of ensuring it does not overwhelm West Ham’s season.
