David Sullivan open to introducing elected fan to West Ham board in bid to repair relations

Seeking to address the concerns of West Ham fans, Sullivan and his son Jack met two representatives of West Ham United Independent Supporters Association (WHUISA) this week

David Sullivan is open to exploring the idea of bringing a fan into West Ham's board (Getty)

West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan has made the first move to repair his relationship with supporters by indicating his openness to having an elected fan on the club’s board.

Sullivan was hit by a coin thrown by angry fans at the end of West Ham’s 3-0 home defeat to Burnley last Saturday, a nadir in the fraught relationship between West Ham fans and the club’s board. That defeat followed a controversial week in which a disagreement over a cancelled fans protest led to some prominent supporters feeling threatened and unsafe.

Seeking to address the concerns of West Ham fans and start to repair relations, Sullivan and his son Jack met two representatives of West Ham United Independent Supporters Association (WHUISA) this Tuesday. WHUISA, represented by chair Mark Walker, re-iterated their desire to have a fan representative on the West Ham board.

Sullivan responded that he was open to exploring this idea, and also alternatively suggested that a former West Ham player could be nominated to the board as a fans’ representative.

WHUISA will now research the practical details of having a fan on the board ahead of future discussions with the club. WHUISA chair Mark Walker told The Independent he was pleased with Sullivan’s openness to their suggestion.

“WHUISA welcome this decision and it has been a long term aim of the Association, along with many other supporters groups across the country,” Walker said. “We are keen to make sure that the process is open and transparent so that supporters have a voice in the important decisions that impact being a fan of this great football club.”