Clarity on Sheffield United boardroom change as intriguing update over key figure sparks supporter concern
Sources at Sheffield United insist it is business as usual at Bramall Lane after a Companies House update involving chief executive Stephen Bettis drew attention amongst fans this week
There is a sense of “business as usual” at Sheffield United this week despite news of Blades chief executive Stephen Bettis being removed as a director of United’s ultimate parent company gathering attention on social media. The confirmation arrived earlier this week via Companies House.
The document showed that Bettis’ status as a director of COH Sports Bidco, the limited company set up by Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy to facilitate their buy-out of the Blades in December 2024, had been terminated this week.
Bettis had only been added to the company’s board last April, alongside a number of other figures close to Rosen or Eltoukhy including Marvel director Joe Russo and Len Komoroski, the former chief executive of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball franchise.
Many of the figures were also added to the football club’s board before a restructure earlier this year left just Rosen, Eltoukhy and Bettis as directors of both The Sheffield United Football Club Limited and COH Sports Bidco.
The removal of Bettis from the latter at Companies House leaves just the United co-chairman as their directors, although Bettis remains on the board of the football club and, as chief executive, effectively running the club off the field.
The confusing situation was described by sources at Bramall Lane as “housekeeping” but sparked some concern amongst Unitedites on social media. But the word from inside the club is of business as usual, although the reason for the change has not been disclosed.
As The Star reported at the time, Bettis impressed Rosen and Eltoukhy during their lengthy bid to buy the Blades from former owner Prince Abdullah, and he was retained as CEO in the new era.
He has since become their de-facto spokesperson, with either Rosen and Eltoukhy still to grant a media interview to discuss their plans and ambitions for United and their only formal communication coming through press releases from their PR company.
Crucially Bettis also has a close working relationship with Chris Wilder, which will come in useful this summer when the Blades chief looks to rebuild United through a hefty turnover in the transfer market.