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Renowned businessman and Millwall FC owner John Berylson dies in tragic Massachusetts car crash days after 70th birthday
John Berylson, the owner and chairman of English soccer club Millwall FC for more than a decade, died on Tuesday, July 4, after losing control of his SUV
Renowned businessmanJohn Berylson, the owner and chairman of English soccer club Millwall FC for more than a decade, died on Tuesday, July 4, after losing control of his SUV. His car struck a tree in a tragic accident in Massachusetts.
Falmouth Police Department wrote in a Facebook post, “On July 4, 2023 at approximately 7:58 am, The Falmouth Police and Falmouth Fire Rescue Departments responded to the report of a motor vehicle crash in the area of 120 Sippewissett Rd. Upon arrival, responders located a single vehicle overturned resting against a tree. The seventy year old male operator and sole occupant was trapped inside of the vehicle and was extricated by mechanical means. The operator succumbed to injuries received in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. The preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle, a 2019 Range Rover was travelling south on Sippewissett Rd when it lost control on a curve, and left the roadway. The vehicle rolled over into a ravine and came to rest against a tree. The crash is being investigated by the Falmouth Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section.”
It later added, “The deceased vehicle operator from the fatal crash on Sippewissett Road on July 4, 2023, has been identified as John G. Berylson, 70, of Wellesley Hills, Ma. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.”
John celebrated his 70th birthday just last month. He first became involvedwith Millwall FC in 2006, and eventually became majority shareholder in the club through the private equity firm Chestnut Hill Ventures LLC. Under his ownership, Millwall FC has been promoted to the English Football Championship division twice.
“This is unquestionably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write in my life,” Millwall CEO Steve Kavanagh said in a statement, according to New York Post. “John was, without any doubt whatsoever, the best club owner I have ever worked with, and I would argue strongly that he was the best chairman of any club in this country.”
He added, “What he did for Millwall over so many years was both extraordinary and exemplary. He trusted his staff to get on with the task at hand but was always unwavering in his support in so many ways. John’s endless passion for Millwall was infectious. He was so incredibly dedicated to the club and year after year showed remarkable energy and drive to keep us progressing on and off the pitch. I feel so desperately sad for John’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them at what is just such a devastatingly cruel time.” John is survived by his wife Amy, and three children – Jennifer, James and Elizabeth.
