- David Sullivan (publisher)
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For other people named David Sullivan, see David Sullivan (disambiguation).
David Sullivan 
Sullivan pictured at Upton Park in August 2010.Born 1 February 1949
Cardiff, South Glamorgan,
United KingdomResidence Theydon Bois, Essex, England Nationality British Occupation Publisher/Businessman Years active 1970–present Known for The Daily Sport
Sunday SportNet worth 
£430 million (est.)[1]Title Joint chairman of West Ham United Term 2010–present Partner Emma Benton-Hughes Children 2 sons David Sullivan (born 1 February 1949) is a Welsh-born British businessman and pornographer, who is also joint-chairman of West Ham United. He graduated in Economics from Queen Mary College, University of London. From 1986 until 2007 he owned the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport which he sold for £40 million.[2] In 2004, Sullivan was named by The Sunday Times as Britain's 68th richest man, with assets valued at over £500 million.[3]
Contents
Early life
The son of an RAF serviceman, Sullivan grew up living in a Penarth council house. When Sullivan was 10 years old his father was posted to Aden where they lived for a year, returning to the UK to live in Hornchurch. He attended the Abbs Cross school and gained ten O Levels. After his family moved to Hertfordshire he attended Watford Boys Grammar School obtaining three A levels. He read Economics at Queen Mary College, narrowly missing a first.[4]
Career
Sullivan began his career at Gerald Ronson's petrol stations which paid him £30 a week. He entered the porn market at 21 by producing porn pictures weekly and selling sheets of photos by mail order, earning him £700 to £800 a week.[3]
Pornography
A millionaire by 25, with his partner, David Gold, Sullivan moved into the adult entertainment industry; his business empire encompassing sex shops, adult magazines and several low-budget blue movies.[4] By the mid-1970s, Sullivan was in control of half of the adult magazine market.[3] In the late 1970s he produced several low-budget British sex movies including Come Play with Me (1977) (directed by Harrison Marks), The Playbirds (1978), Confessions from the David Galaxy Affair (1979) and Queen of the Blues (1979), all starring his then-girlfriend Mary Millington. After Millington's suicide in August 1979 he continued with Mary Millington's True Blue Confessions (1980) and Emmanuelle in Soho (1981). In 1982 Sullivan was convicted of living off immoral earnings and served 71 days in prison.[5]
Other interests
Horse racing
More recently Sullivan has invested heavily in racehorses. His horse David Junior, named after his son, participated in many Group 1 races around the world and was trained by Irish trainer Brian Meehan; David Junior is now a sire in Japan. Sullivan also has a horse in training, named after another one of his sons, which featured in the 2007 flat racing season. He is the owner of the original Grand National trophy and the largest collection of racing trophies in the country.[4]
Birmingham City
Despite being a lifelong West Ham United fan,[6][7] in 1993 Sullivan bought into Birmingham City F.C. with David Gold and Ralph Gold.[8] However, in 2007 Sullivan expressed his desire to sell his share in the club. Sullivan stated he had three reasons for why he wanted to leave. "One, the geographical distance. I've said for years the journey to Birmingham is killing me. Two, I think deep down the public have had enough of us. They think we should have mortgaged our houses to buy more players to compete with Chelsea and Arsenal. The honeymoon is long over and we're at the divorce stage now, unfortunately. And I also feel we've had no support from Birmingham council."[9]
Sullivan arriving at Upton Park, April 2010
In April 2008, Sullivan and Birmingham City F.C. managing director Karren Brady were released on bail after being arrested by City of London Police and questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting in connection with an ongoing investigation of alleged corruption in English football.[10] In August 2009 it was confirmed that no action would be taken.[11] Sullivan attributed major blame for Birmingham's 2008 relegation from the Premier League to previous manager Steve Bruce's player signings, and suggested he wanted to sell his stake in the club following the behaviour of sections of the crowd at the last game of the 2007–08 season.[12]
West Ham United
In January 2010 Sullivan and David Gold acquired 50 percent of English football club West Ham United, giving them operational and commercial control. They assumed joint-chairmanship. On 25 May 2010, the pair increased their stake in West Ham to 60% (Sullivan with 30%). Vice-chairman Karren Brady later said the move gave the football club "the much-needed stability that it needs."[13][14]
Personal life
Sullivan lives in Birch Hall, near Theydon Bois, Essex. It was built by Ashby and Horner to Sullivan's design in 1992 and set in around 12 acres (49,000 m2) of land, at a cost of £7.5m for the land and building.[15] His partner is Emma Benton-Hughes, sister of Jonny Trunk, who met Sullivan while she was working as a model for his pornographic magazines under her previously married name of Eve Vorley. The couple have two children, David and Jack.[16]
References
Notes
- ^ Sullivan on The Sunday Times Rich List, April 2009
- ^ Stephen Brook, press correspondent It is reported that he bought back the titles from the Administrators for £50000 in May 2011 and the paper resumed publication. (2007-08-08). "Sullivan sells stake in Sport titles". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/aug/08/pressandpublishing.citynews. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
- ^ a b c "David Sullivan". London: The Times. 2004. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/richlist/person/0,,33666,00.html. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- ^ a b c "David Sullivan - living a dream in Theydon Bois, Essex | Essex Life". Essex.greatbritishlife.co.uk. http://essex.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/david-sullivan--living-a-dream-in-theydon-bois-essex-23893/. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ Bose, Mihir (27 January 2010). "The big interview: David Sullivan - The freedom fighter". London Evening Standard. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23799214-the-big-interview-david-sullivan---the-freedom-fighter.do. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
- ^ "West Ham Takeover Deal Goes Through". SKY SPORTS NEWS. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/West-Ham-Takeover-Deal-By-David-Sullivan-And-David-Gold-May-Be-Announced-Says-Mark-Kleinman/Article/201001315529584?f=rss. Retrieved 2010-01-19. "Mr Sullivan, a lifelong West Ham fan, said: "It will be an immense privilege to lead this great football club and more importantly its supporters."
- ^ "West Ham United Statement". West Ham United Official Website. http://www.whufc.com/articles/west-ham-united-statement-20100119_2236884_1936937. Retrieved 2010-01-19. "I enjoyed running Birmingham City for 16-and-half years, but everyone there knew my true love was always West Ham United."
- ^ "Jack Wiseman – Mr Blues". Birmingham City F.C.. http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/JackWiseman/0,,10412,00.html. Retrieved 2008-04-09. "When I bought the club in 1993, joined shortly after by my two partners David and Ralph Gold"
- ^ James, Stuart (2007-09-29). "Sullivan's passion undimmed by his likely departure". London: Guardian. http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2177735,00.html. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- ^ "Blues bosses arrested by police". BBC News. 2008-04-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7339447.stm. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- ^ "David Sullivan and Karren Brady will not face charges after tax investigation". The Guardian (London). 2009-08-07. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/aug/07/karren-brady-david-sullivan-birmingham-police. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Sullivan slams Bruce's buys". Sky Sports. 2008-05-12. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12975_3556730,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "Chairmen increase shareholding | News | Latest News | News | West Ham United". Whufc.com. http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100525/chairmen-increase-shareholding_2236884_2058860. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ^ "West Ham co-owners Sullivan and Gold increase stake". bbc.co.uk. 2010-05-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/8703609.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ^ Emma Hawes (28 March 2004). "Taste wars". The Sunday Times (London). http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article1053271.ece. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
- ^ Caroline Scott (12 February 2006). "Jonny Trunk and his sister Emma Benton-Hughes". The Sunday Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article725484.ece. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
Sources
- Simon Sheridan Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema 2007 (third edition) (Reynolds & Hearn books)
- Simon Sheridan Come Play with Me: The Life and Films of Mary Millington 1999 (FAB Press, Guildford)
- Mark Killick The Sultan of Sleaze 1994 (Penguin UK)
External links
Categories:- 1949 births
- Living people
- Adult magazine publishers (people)
- Alumni of Queen Mary, University of London
- British newspaper publishers (people)
- British pornographers
- English football chairmen and investors
- Old Fullerians
- People from Cardiff
- Welsh businesspeople
- West Ham United F.C. directors and chairmen
- Birmingham City F.C. directors and chairmen
- Racehorse owners and breeders
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