‘Absolutely heartbreaking’ – Steve Morison on the tragic death of Millwall owner John Berylson

Steve Morison has described John Berylson’s death as “absolutely heartbreaking” after Millwall announced late on Tuesday night that the 70-year-old had passed away.

The Lions confirmed on their official Twitter account that Berylson had died in “a tragic accident” on Tuesday morning.

Morison, who won promotion twice with the Lions, made 336 appearances for Millwall over three separate spells.

“I don’t believe it – I can’t quite get my head around it,” Morison told talkSPORT.

“I just walked off the training pitch to that news. He was someone who gave me my chance alongside the manager at the time. 

“But on the back of the stuff he’s done for me off the football pitch, he’s the one person who has always been constant and positive – he had my back.

“I just can’t believe it – it’s absolutely heartbreaking. 

“Anyone you speak to will not have a bad word to say about him, and that’s because he’s one heck of a human being.

“I did a game towards the end of the season against Blackpool, and I said [Millwall’s progression] has shown the rest of the Championship how to run a football club.

“They’re the most stable club in the Championship, bar a couple. He just ran it fantastically.

“It’s going to hit so many people so hard at that football club.

“He’s not an owner or a chairman who you don’t see or speak to. He went around to see everybody. At every promotion final we won, he was there in the dressing room after.

“That’s how he was with us. He knew everyone’s families and kids. He was a real personal person. He was someone that you had so much time and love for. 

“It’s going to hit so hard. The fans will react like they always do and be fantastically supportive of the football club.

“It’s a time where the football club will come together, as it always does when it needs to.”