George Saville: Everything Millwall go on to achieve will be for John Berylson

George Saville says that John Berylson will be an extra driving factor for Millwall’s players to want to achieve success in the Championship this season.

The 70-year-old Lions owner died at the start of last week in a road accident.

Millwall’s squad, who were on a training camp in Spain at the time, went to The Den on Monday to pay their respects to Berylson, who invested more than £100m into the SE16 club since first getting involved in 2006.

The Lions have earmarked their August 12 game against Bristol City – the first home Championship game of the new season – as the tribute match for their late chairman.

Gary Rowett’s side kick off on August 5 at Middlesbrough.

Saville, 30, told the South London Press: “If he was here now he’d be saying: ‘Don’t worry about me – you’ve got a job to do’. It is a dark cloud over the football club and for the players and staff – it will live with us for a long while.

“Time does heal. It’s hard, because life goes on and you have to go to work and perform. We do have to do that – but everything will be for him. He will be in my heart and my thoughts. Every time we step out at the Den, cor, that is going to be a feeling inside that I have – for sure.

“It is a massive loss for the football club, he was probably the focal point – in terms of setting such a good example and standard every time he was there.

“You hear a lot of things about chairmen, some are not so good and you get more of a mixed view – but I never heard anyone say a bad word about John, because of the man he was.

“He was loyal and I’ve seen people say he was the best chairman in English football and I’d have to agree with that, especially with the relationships he built with myself and other long-serving players. He was a great guy, as well.

“He has changed some of our lives. Going to The Den was hard and emotional, it’s not a nice feeling because you’ve lost someone you care about, but it is the right thing to do. It’s a nice feeling once you have done that and sent your condolences.”