Jed Wallace: Millwall owner John Berylson changed my life

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Jed Wallace says that John Berylson “changed his life” – and his treatment of players was why so many stayed so long at Millwall.

The 29-year-old winger left the Lions last summer, running down his deal to join West Bromwich Albion on a free.

Wallace travelled to The Den last Wednesday to pay his respects and queued for 45 minutes to sign a book of condolence (main picture).

“He changed my life,” he told the South London Press. “My kids go to a nice school because of him.

“I was s*** when he signed me. I had completely lost myself. He said: ‘If we get promoted, I’ll sign you’. The second spell I was pretty crap and he still put his hand in his pocket and paid £400,000 for me. He didn’t need to, he could’ve got someone else.

“He was loyal. When there was interest from other teams and people were leaving and earning ridiculous amounts of money, he always looked after his own players.

“When they got to 31, he’d never let their contracts run down – he’d give them another year, so they wouldn’t worry about it. The likes of Tony Craig, Pearcey (Alex Pearce) and Moro (Steve Morison) – he looked after his players. That doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I know I left, but I played 260 games for Millwall.

“Hutchy (Shaun Hutchinson) has played 200. Coops (Jake Cooper) has played 200. You look at how many have played that many games at one club – it’s not normal. Most have played 50 or 60 and that’s it.

“We had seven or eight lads in the team who had played 200 games for Millwall – because it was a tight-knit family. That came from John.

“When Jiri Skalak signed he wasn’t having a great time. It would’ve been very easy for a chairman to say ‘I spent money on you’ and then dismiss them.

“After the first few months of Skally not playing he found out he was big into ice hockey. He got a jersey from his team in America, signed by all the players.

“Players talk and they know what John is like, that’s why they only attract good, good players now because of what he has built there.

“He offered me a ridiculous deal to stay, but sometimes you just feel you need a new spark.

“There was no bitterness in him, whatsoever, and we remained in touch. When I had a good game for West Brom, he’d message me and say: ‘You were the best player, you’re playing really well’. In football people can be bitter and small-minded. He is such a nice guy.

“I won’t miss him coming in the dressing room before the game and getting his war wounds and operations out, he always used to show the lads his bullet wounds as we were about to go out for a game. But I will miss the back and forth with him.

“Every single player who has left the club has only had positive things to say about John Berylson. He had a genuine relationship with all the players. I’d send him pictures of my kids and he’d come back about his grandkids.

“What Chopper (Neil Harris) has been through with him – cancer, manager and player – he is probably like a dad to him.

“He has left an unbelievable legacy behind – probably the best-run club in the Championship.

“It’s not just putting his hand in his pocket – anyone can chuck money at it – it is the time that he has put into the club.”