West Ham Owners – Know All About David Sullivan, His Net Worth and Family

West Ham Football Club is considered to be the pride of London and was founded in 1895. Despite the fans considering the club as a midtable contender in the Premier League, the team has a rich heritage behind it and has seen silverware multiple times. Known to be one of the clubs that can challenge the top-tier teams at any given point, West Ham’s history is pretty much like rising from the ashes.

From Arnold Hills to David Sullivan, the Hammers have gone through many transitions in their history. Along with the ownership changes came different visions that have molded the club for the better and perhaps for some challenges as well. But it’s safe to say the Hammers have always been behind the club and the players who have graced the famous London Stadium.

Although many people believe that the nickname ‘Hammers’ has nothing to do with the name of the club in the initial years. It is believed that the nicknames like ‘Hammers’ & ‘Irons’ were given by the Thames Ironworks. In 1901, the club decided to change its name and opted for ‘West Ham United’ as their new club name. Since 1895, the Hammers have observed several changes in their ownership, the latest change being with David Sullivan, who took ownership of the club in 2010 alongside David Gold.

West Ham Ownership Brief History

The Hammers have a proud but restricted collection of trophies in contrast to the Giants of the Premier League. They have the FA Cup trophies of the years 1964, 1975, and 1980 as they were the proud winners that year. West Ham were also the finalists of the 1923 and 2006 FA Cups.

Unlike some of the famous clubs in the League, the Hammers were not late to the party of European glory. They have won the UEFA Cup Winners‘ trophy on multiple occasions; on 1965 and 1976 to be precise. Under the new West Ham owner, the club also won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023.

The Hammers were the crowned champions of the English Second Division Champions in 1958. They were also the Championship Play-Off Winners on multiple occasions in 2005 and 2012. Other than that, they were the UEFA Intertoto Cup winner in 1999.

Also Read: Who is the Newcastle United owner? A Detailed Timeline of the Newcastle United Ownership History

List of the Owners of West Ham FC

If you ask who owns West Ham United, well, the answer is David Sullivan. However, in 2021, Daniel Kietinsky occupied a 27% stake in the club, becoming one of the West Ham United owner. As with many football clubs out there, there have been many West Ham owners in the club’s history. For the Hammers in particular, there have been quite a few names on the list. Here is a detailed table for better clarity of the ownership and their period:

Owner	Years
Arnold Hills	1895-1926
Syd King	1902- 1932
W.G Clothier	1932- 1950
The Cearns Family	1960- 1990
Terry Brown	1992- 2006
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson	2006- 2010
David Gold & David Sullivan	2010- 2023 (Gold)
David Sullivan	2010- Present
Danie Kretinsky	2021- Present (27% Stake)

The Welsh businessman David Sullivan owns the Club’s majority stake and is one of the West Ham owners. He has around 38.8 percent stake in the club. The Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky got 27 percent, props to the 1890s holdings. Other than that, the late David Gold’s family trust, represented by his daughter Vanessa Gold, owns the third biggest stake, which is 25.1 percent. Recent reports suggested that Gold is working with the Rothschild bankers to sell over 10 percent of the family trust’s take in the club.

West Ham Current Owner – David Sullivan

As we mentioned earlier, over the years, the Hammers have gone through many ownership changes. The fans of the club have mixed feelings when it comes to David Sullivan and David Gold.

Many people considered leaving the old ground and moving to the London Stadium as a step forward. However, one of the reasons to do it was to increase the revenue. Therefore, some fans thought it was a bad judgment. They believed the traditional roots were being ignored. Moreover, the stadium atmosphere too was also criticized. Why? The belief was that the crowd had been less passionate ever since the move to the new stadium.

When David Moyes took charge of the club, they saw the glory of the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023. Over the years, the club has made some good investments in players. It is something that the fans have relished and backed. However, some Hammers believe that it should be consistent.

With the increasing involvement of West Ham owners Daniel Kretinsky in the club, there are rumors about the future of West Ham owners Sullivan. There are fans who think the potential of Kretinsky taking over is a new start. With that, there will be new hopes that more financial backing and ambition will come under his leadership.

Throughout the 2010s, fan protests against the ownership were common occurrences. It was especially in 2018 when a pitch invasion and protests at the London Stadium happened in the 3-0 defeat to Burnley. Fans demanded more transparency and ambition from the board.

In recent years, the relationship of the board with fans has somewhat enhanced, especially following the Conference League victory. Still, among the fans, the ownership issues are foggy.

David Sullivan’s Net Worth

The club is owned by David Sullivan, who became the majority shareholder in 2010 alongside the previous West Ham owner, the late David Gold. After the passing of Gold in January 2023, Sullivan now holds the primary stake. The Club has also attracted new investment from Daniel Kretinsky. He is speculated to be the potential future owner, given an agreement enabling him to increase his stake after the move of the club to the London Stadium. It is a strong belief that he might be the future owner of West Ham United. It is believed that David Sullivan net worth in 2024 is estimated to be around £1.1 billion; it has gone up by 50 million from last year.

Sullivan and Gold were instrumental in West Ham’s move from Upton Park to the London Stadium, a decision that has been both logistically and economically important for the future of the club. But these decisions have created a love-hate relationship between the fans and the club.

David Sullivan Wife & Family

David Sullivan was in a relationship with former adult actress, Emma Benton-Hughes, and had two children named David and Jack. After breaking up, there’s not much information available about his David Sullivan wife & family.

Also Read: Who is the Arsenal owner? A Detailed Timeline of Arsenal Ownership History

FAQ’s