West Ham: David Sullivan attends Carabao Cup first-round tie with Portsmouth despite being advised not to
David Sullivan stepped down as West Ham director in June after an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations; he strongly denies all allegations of wrongdoing; he attended Carabao Cup tie against Portsmouth despite being advised not to
Saturday 8 August 2026 17:08, UK
David Sullivan attended West Ham's Carabao Cup match against Portsmouth at the London Stadium on Saturday, despite him being advised to stay away from home matches.
Sullivan resigned as a director and joint chairman of West Ham in June, before the publication of an investigation by The Times and BBC Panorama into sexual misconduct allegations. He has strongly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
On Monday, a spokesperson for London Stadium told Sky Sports News it had "recommended" to West Ham that Sullivan does not attend matches because of concerns about fan unrest.
The West Ham United Fan Advisory Board (FAB) also called on Sullivan not to attend the club's home matches, warning his presence could become a "distraction" and a potential security concern.
In a statement, the FAB said it remained concerned that Sullivan attending matches at the London Stadium would cause "offence and upset" to some supporters and could provoke negative reactions from fans.
The FAB also pointed to West Ham's ground regulations, which state that entry can be refused to any individual whose presence could constitute a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to others
West Ham beat Portsmouth 3-1 to progress to the second round of the Carabao Cup.