Millwall confirms James Berylson will succeed father John as club chairman following his tragic death in a car crash – while vowing to honor ‘his late father’s legacy’
- James Berylson, 42, has been confirmed as the club’s new chairman
- Berylson succeeds his father who has been involved with Millwall since 2006
- John Berylson was killed in a car accident in Massachusetts on July 4
James Berylson has vowed to ‘strive to fulfill the legacy’ of his late father John after Millwall confirmed he would succeed his late father as club chairman.
John Berylson tragically died earlier this month after a car accident in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The 70-year-old’s funeral took place in Boston on Monday.
Millwall’s ownership has remained unchanged since the loss of the much-loved figure who was described by club officials as a ‘truly wonderful man’, but on Friday, 42-year-old James announced he had succeeded his father as chairman.
“Dad had a deep and contagious love for Millwall,” he wrote in an open letter to supporters.
He cared passionately about the players, the staff, the management and especially our supporters. It’s a love that spread throughout the Berylson family and Millwall has become a big part of our lives for so long.
New Millwall chairman James Berylson has vowed to ‘fulfill the legacy of his late father John’
John Berylson tragically died earlier this month after a car accident in the US
The Boston-born businessman, 70, was the victim of a “single car rollover” in Falmouth, Massachusetts around 8 a.m. on July 4 and had to be pulled from the wreckage using a mechanical device known as the “jaws of life.” ‘
“I have witnessed incredible moments of joy, drama and success at The Den with my father and these memories will last a lifetime. However, from today it is about creating new ones.
‘John Berylson, our chairman, dreamed of this club. He had a vision and a plan, and I am determined and passionate to continue his work and build on this foundation.
“It is with genuine and immeasurable pride that I take on the presidency of this great football club. It’s what my dad wanted, and I’ve been so thankful for his mentorship since I joined the board of directors in 2010 and blessed by his trust and belief in me. I am also grateful to my Millwall colleagues for their support over the past few days, but also, more generally, for the advice and guidance they have given me over the years.
“This marks the beginning of a new era, one in which we will strive to fulfill Dad’s legacy.”
Like his father, James is expected to oversee the sunning of the club from the US, while maintaining regular contact with CEO Steve Kavanagh and manager Gary Rowett.
The elder Berylson was regarded as one of the best chairmen in English football and saw the Lions reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2013. Before reaching the quarter-finals in 2017 and 2019.
The club’s most recent promotion to the Championship was in 2017 and they have remained there ever since.
Last season, Millwall finished eighth in the Championship, just missing out on a play-off spot on the final day of the season.
Millwall chairman John Berylson holds the League One play-off trophy after his team beat Bradford City at Wembley Stadium in May 2017 to secure promotion to the Championship