James Berylson to succeed late father John as Millwall chairman and determined to “continue his work”

James Berylson has penned an open letter to Millwall fans – confirming he will succeed his dad John as the new chairman.

The Lions have been in mourning for the loss of their 70-year-old American owner, who was killed in a car accident on July 4.

And his son James has talked of his determination to try and make his father’s remaining goals for the Championship club a reality.

“I would like to start by saying, on behalf of the Berylson family, an enormous and very heartfelt thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love and affection for dad following the tragic events of last week,” said James, who was already on the board of directors, in a statement issued on Millwall’s website.

“This remains a very challenging time for us but the many thousands of messages of support we received from our Millwall family have been a source of tremendous comfort.

“We are immensely grateful for the photos and video tributes from The Den and those who took the time to go there or sign the online book of condolence. Your collective support means more than I can possibly begin to articulate.

“As we all know, dad had a deep and infectious love for Millwall. He cared passionately about the players, staff, management and, most importantly, our supporters. It is a love that spread throughout the Berylson family and Millwall has become a huge part of our lives for so long now.

“I have witnessed incredible moments of joy, drama and success at The Den alongside my dad and these memories will last a lifetime.  From this day forward, though, it is about creating new ones.

“John Berylson, our chairman, had dreams for this club. He had a vision and a plan, and I am fiercely determined and passionate about continuing his work and building on this foundation.

“It is with sincere and immeasurable pride that I take on the chairmanship of this great football club. It is what my dad wanted, and I am so thankful for his mentorship since I joined the board of directors in 2010 and blessed by his trust and faith in me. I am also grateful to my Millwall colleagues for their support in recent days but also, more broadly, the advice and guidance they have provided me over the years.

“We will pay tribute to dad at the Bristol City game, our first home league match of the season, on Saturday August 12. I hope all of you can join my family for this very emotional occasion.

“This will mark the start of a new era, one in which we will strive to fulfill dad’s legacy.

“We are Millwall. We are family.”