Millwall chief executive Steve Kavanagh: James Berylson will take his father’s legacy forward

Millwall chief executive Steve Kavanagh is determined to do all he can to help new chairman James Berylson build on the foundations laid down by his father.

John Berylson passed away in a traffic accident in the USA last week and his funeral took place in Boston on Monday.

The Lions announced today that his son James will be the new chairman.

“John had a clear succession plan,” Kavanagh, who attended the funeral, told the South London Press. “I was grateful to go to Boston to be able to share everyone’s condolences, which have been passed on to the family.

“But also, for myself, to meet the family and know how confident they are and how much they wanted – even in their time of grief – to say to me: ‘Don’t worry – the family is here. James will be chairman. We know how much dad loved Millwall Football Club and what it meant to him’.

“He infected the whole family with that love and James is there. While he is going to take time to learn bits, and he’ll do little bits in his own way, he’s there to take John’s legacy forward.

“We’re all here to help him deliver that. John had created the foundations for a club that means the succession, and what comes now with James taking over, is so much easier.

“Given the traumatic circumstances that is, yet again, another show of admiration for how good this man was in everything he did that, even in his death, he has made it easy for us. It’s quite incredible really.

“I went to James’ apartment for coffee while I was over there. I’ve spoken to him every day and I spoke to him at length again on Thursday. Part of that is him being desperate to understand the intimate pieces that his dad maybe hadn’t gone to that level with, but also to support me.

“I’m sad I’m working with a new chairman but I know James will do everything in his power to honour his dad’s legacy.”