STAYING HUMBLE
I’m a director of a Premier League club and my dad is a billionaire – but I only carry £10 and still fly with Ryanair
He was just 17 when he became a footballing director
A PREMIER League club director and son of a billionaire has revealed he only carries £10 and still flies with Ryanair.
Jack Sullivan made headlines when he became managing director of the West Ham United women's football team aged just 17.
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The son of West Ham's billionaire owner, David Sullivan, recently announced his plans to fly with Ryanair for his upcoming holiday in Ibiza.
He told the Times: "I come from an extremely privileged and fortunate background, there’s no denying that, but as a family we believe a lot in charity and helping others.
"Even though I am fortunate and have done some incredible things, at the same time I’m going to Ibiza next week and I’m flying Ryanair."
The football owner rarely carries cash with him but revealed he had just £10 in his wallet.
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"I’ve got €10, which is left over from my last holiday, and no other cash in there at the moment," he added.
Jack, 24, took charge of the women's team for four years before becoming a director of West Ham United.
A BBC docuseries called, "Britain's Youngest Football Boss" followed the young businessman as he tried to lead the women's team to success.
Within 18 months at the wheel, the team has gone from semi-professional with players earning a mere £70-a-week to a squad of 20 internationals with full-time contracts.
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However, he faced several critics who claimed he didn't have enough experience in the footballing world.
Yet, Jack said at the time: "I see my age as the complete opposite to a setback.
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"I view it as a real positive, a fresh pair of eyes.
"The most important thing is to listen to as many people as possible, sometimes you will be right sometimes they will be right.
"You could be 80 and not know what you’re doing.
"Just because you’re young doesn’t mean you’re not smart enough to do it."
Since he took charge the women’s side has shot up from the third tier of the National League into the WSL- the first full-time professional division for female players in England.
They were promoted into the top flight last season and reached the FA Cup final in their first year, losing out to Manchester City.
The sale of season tickets has more than doubled to over 1000 but Jack credits the rapid growth of the women’s side to the club’s core family values.
He said: "We are a family club I’ve always said that we are all very approachable and we want everything to work in the best possible way.
"We know not everything is always going to be perfect like in a family but at the same time, we do our best.
"Everyone’s very welcoming and there’s a real team spirit here which is what makes the club so special.
"We try and take the same values from the men’s side, we share a lot of the staff and the academy of football is something really important here."
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