By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
West Ham have this morning released a statement pertaining to safeguarding issues surrounding former chairman David Sullivan.
It is quite an extraordinary statement.
The club have clearly sought to distance themselves from reports which emerged earlier this week suggesting Sullivan had been internally restricted from attending games and training involving West Ham’s women’s and academy teams.
In an unprecedented move, West Ham have announced on the club’s official website that current board members had no prior knowledge of the safeguarding measures, and it would appear wider scrutiny surrounding Sullivan only became fully apparent when he informed them of upcoming media broadcasts.
West Ham Statement Raises Further Questions
The statement on the club’s official website said:
“The Club wishes to make it clear that the safeguarding measures put in place in 2023 in relation to David Sullivan strictly followed West Ham’s stringent safeguarding policies, as agreed with The FA and the Newham LADO.
“This meant that only a very limited number of West Ham employees were informed of these measures, and these individuals were bound by strict confidentiality rules.
“To be clear, none of the Board representatives of shareholders other than David Sullivan were aware of these measures until they were reported in the media this week.
“These safeguarding measures were a result of a single complaint to The FA and are not linked to the serious further allegations published in the media this week.”
The statement continued:
“As it relates to the serious allegations published by the media this week regarding David Sullivan, the full Board was first made aware of potential allegations about a month ago, when Mr Sullivan advised the Board that some allegations may appear in the media without providing any further detail as to the severity of the allegations.
“The details and severity of the allegations, which Mr Sullivan denies, only became apparent when they were made public on Monday.”
West Ham Looking To Draw A Line
The statement from the club would seem to be a completely sensible manoeuvre as those now in charge of West Ham seek to distance themselves from the scandal surrounding Sullivan.
West Ham are at a pivotal moment where there is an opportunity to clean out the football club and take it in a completely new direction.
Over the next few days, I would expect to hear more about how Sullivan’s influence and connections at the club are decreasing almost by the day.
Certainly, this latest statement makes it even more unrealistic that Sullivan’s apparent belief he could retain his shareholding and remain associated with the club is a viable long-term option.
If anything, West Ham’s statement feels like another step towards creating clear separation between the football club and its former chairman.
If Sullivan does care for the club he will realise that relinquishing and selling his shares is in the clubs best interests, while he holds them any fallout and association will be connected because he is currently linked.
If he leaves much as Baroness Brady has the club can instruct lawyers to sue and the threat of legal action should minimise those associations in the media.
As for the statement it seems odd that Kretinsky and the other shareholders weren’t shared more details of the allegations.
Hopefully the investigation is swiftly concluded even though am doubtful of that and we can move on.
What happens if he’s found innocent of the allegations?
Based on how many men get away Scot free on these type of charges even when they are guilty there is a good chance of that especially when they have access to the best lawyers.
I guess we will find out at some point…
Anything that diminishes Sullivans influence is a positive.
The club will be finished if he remains in the background.
Once these type of allegations appear there is no reeling them back, true of false, and this thing has enough dirt in his past to have him totally cancelled by anybody who is decent.
The club could kiss goodbye to any top sponsorship ever again and the club would go under.
For me, his association with a woman not fit to care for troubled teenagers, should’ve been a nail in his ownership coffin, but EVERYONE kept quiet. His money made him immune from dissent as he got top lawyers to shut people up.
As you say, fingers crossed he gives up and disappears with his gold-digging trollop never to be heard from again.
We can only pray.
Yes indeed mate