As the bells chime, the news has been revealed.
David Sullivan has officially stepped down from West Ham United with immediate effect.
The club have revealed a statement this early afternoon as follows:
"West Ham United can confirm that Joint-Chair David Sullivan has stepped down from his position with immediate effect.
Mr Sullivan has also resigned as a director of both WH Holding Limited and West Ham United Football Club, having been made aware of the impending publication of serious historic allegations. It is understood none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations.
Through his own legal representatives Mr Sullivan denies any illegal conduct and has taken the decision to step down in order to avoid disruption to the Club while he addresses the matter privately.
Interim Chief Executive Officer Karim Virani, reporting into the current Board of Directors, will continue to be responsible for leading the Club’s day-to-day operations. The Club will provide an update on the future structure of the Board of Directors in due course, but will make no further comment at this time."
The final straw? The beginning of the end? The unknown.
West Ham's era in the Championship has taken an all-mighty turn; the effect of stepping down is the first of many tumbling stones in this saga, and in the coming weeks, more and more information will unfold, but in the meantime, after years and years of West Ham fans protesting and with a brutal final day, the significant step has finally been taken.
The accusations against David Sullivan have picked up speed to a point where the club has released this statement, and David Sullivan has made this decision - all of the signs indicate words have finally become more than just an expression.
Only time will now tell.
David Sullivan's Response
“I have recently become aware that factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life are due to be broadcast and published.
“The false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media. After a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me. I categorically deny these claims.
“I am a private man, and those who personally and professionally know the real David Sullivan, not the caricature invented by the tabloids, know exactly who I am and what I stand for. I am absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as.
“I have not been provided with any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication. I believe that the entire process has been fundamentally unfair and completely lacking in any due impartiality. I will be suing the BBC for libel, along with any other media outlet that repeats any libelous allegations.
“None of these allegations relate to my more than 30 years in football; West Ham United has been one of the greatest passions and privileges of my life. I care deeply about the club, its supporters, its players, its staff, and its future. At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability.
“Therefore, after very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect.
“This has been an incredibly painful decision to make, but it is one made out of love, respect, and responsibility toward a football club and a fan base that deserve absolute unity and focus moving forward.
“I am stepping down to apply my full energy and attention on fighting these false allegations. I have officially engaged my legal team and we are preparing to issue legal proceedings in respect of each and every false complaint that has been made against me. I will be seeking full redress, legally and publicly, on every single front.
“As I depart, I want to thank everyone connected with West Ham United, past and present, for the loyalty, friendship, memories and European adventures and successes that I will carry with me forever. West Ham United will always remain close to my heart, and I have total confidence that the Board of Directors and interim Chief Executive Officer Karim Virani will do everything they can to take the club forward in the right direction. I wish everyone connected with the club every success in the future.
“I will not be making further public comment at this stage, but I reserve all legal rights available to me in relation to any false or defamatory allegations.”
Comments
Well none of us saw this
Well none of us saw this coming. Boogerscaravan Jnr number 2 just phoned me as he saw it drop on a whatsapp grp. I've just read the statement on the website and obviously wont be commenting, as the last thing this site needs is to be held libel.
All I will say is it's Boogerscaravan Jnr number 1's 40th birthday today and this will be the best present he gets.... A new era COYI..!!
Let's hope there is a
Let's hope there is a Panorama documentry so we can all revel in the Imp's demise.
Him stepping down is him proving his guilt. That greedy little bastard has tuined thousands off people's lives. Let's hope he gets his now.
Happy 40th Boogers Jr.
Cheers Enfield, just hope
Cheers Enfield, just hope Sullivan Jnrs don't get let anywhere near the board room. Hopefully he has no choice but to sell his stake now..COYI
This wonderful club hanging
This wonderful club hanging in the balance,relegated and now this,no ground to call our own either,i dont know what to say,some say onwards and upwards,what in a bean can.
well blow me down
well at least he wont be choosing who plays for us ,may be more power to , Nuno .up the hammers
It might not
Sound as good as we'd like. He's stepped down, not gone. Still majority shareholder and the latest I've heard is his son is taking a more hands on role. Out of the frying pan and into the fire?
As for the allegations, there is no smoke without fire, He has a mucky past and the fact the Brady jumped ship so quickly and his stepping down to "concentrate fully on these allegations" suggest to me that he is in serious trouble. Roll on the Panorama documentary tomorrow.
As i suggested above,we are
As i suggested above,we are not a very attractive outfit to sell,who would want to take this on,Kretinsky needs to show his metal,Golds daughter bless her,she will want out,and appointing a muslim little shit as the face,will only cheer up Sadiq Khan.
Sadly a sign of the times we
Sadly a sign of the times we now live in Essex. I'll be tuning into Panorama for sure init!!
So will i mate,but in the
So will i mate,but in the world he made his money in,it was always going to be open for this type of aggro,especially the world we live in now.
Its All Gone Ouiet Over There
Not a word from Brady about her ex CEO strange that init surely she doesn't think she's out of this web of Deceit. She is probably under contract to the BBC on The Apprentice, bet Alan Sugar wont be able to keep his mouth shut though. Wonder what the baroness will have to say in the House of Lords, this has been going on for a long time that's why Brady has looked so ill and has had to leave she probably knew about The Dwarfs antics 2or 3 months ago. Then there's Sullivan's Doris, she's normally good for a few tweets on X not a dicky bird out of her! its a wonder The bookies aint running a book how long she will be with Sullivan. Wonder what was going through her head when Sully fcuked of before the end of the Leeds game. I dont think we have heard the last of Sully either, he will still have his 2 boys on the board who will handle his 40% of the shares and now they will be worth more at the end of next summer especially if we get back into the Prem. Still Its a very big day for our club, and our demonstrations paid off in the end but the Important bit has still got to come. Who will be our new owner? and who will be our new Director of football. Antonio said the board have never had any plans and only could see from from Year to Year and never looked ahead Perhaps he never spoke a Truer word. Gonna be exciting times and The club have got to get it right case of React in haste Repent at Leisure COYI
-Good news but no reason to celebrate
Delighted to see that the noose is tightening on that obnoxious little nonce, the truth will be known soon, hopefully tonight. I have consistently said this is another Jimmy Saville, hiding in plain sight.
He had no real interest in West Ham, purely a vehicle to display power, wealth and ego. His track record in charge at both West Ham and Birmingham is one of under achievement with a catalogue of obviously foreseen errors.
Brady saw the writing on the wall and jumped early. She was known to be in a "relationship" with Sullivan in her early years and for that will probably be "outed" as being complacent to his crimes.
Whilst most of us are delighted to see him gone, and the chance to move on with a new order, this brings uncertainty and the old jurno expression "be careful what you wish for West Ham fans" will be regurgitated.
Kretenski is not the saviour. He is an INVESTOR, he expects a return. His arrival was as obvious as the pedophile in plain sight. West Ham value at the time he arrived was around £350M. But... according to Deloitte if WH owned the BoM that evaluation triples. his strategy was based on that being a reality with London tax payers getting increasingly angry with the money pit.
No reason to celebrate......... It will be clear that Sullivan will have destroyed lives of innocent and very venerable young people.
Seems like the dream of that
Seems like the dream of that poisonous little klint being forcde out of the club could finally happen!! Of course this being WH, the opportunity to burst free and grow will likely be spurned but at least we'll be able to blame someone else!!