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      John Berylson dead at 70: Millwall chairman and owner dies in ‘tragic accident’ as tributes pour in

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      MILLWALL have announced the death of “beloved” club owner John Berylson following a “tragic accident” aged 70.The Championship club said they have a “collective broken heart” as tributes to their late chairman stacked up from fans and rival teams.
      Millwall are devastated at the loss of owner and chairman John BerylsonCredit: Getty
      The American businessman first became involved at Millwall 17 years agoCredit: Getty
      The club’s late supremo was also a philanthropist, mainly supporting educationCredit: Getty
      The Lions said the American businessman – who leaves a wife, Amy, and three children – passed away on Tuesday morning.
      West Ham, Derby, Portsmouth and Bournemouth were amongst the first clubs to send condolences but dozens more followed in a huge outpouring of respect.
      A lengthy statement from Millwall included: “John’s sudden and tragic passing will unquestionably impact all those who were fortunate to have known him.
      “He was a truly great man, incredibly devoted to his family, and a person of such remarkable generosity, warmth, and kindness.
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      “He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people.”
      The club said Berylson had “presided over some of the greatest moments in Millwall’s history” since first becoming involved in 2006.
      He appointed Kenny Jackett as his first manager in 2007, and stuck with him all the way through until 2013.
      Berylson oversaw his beloved Londoners reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2013, and then the quarters in 2017 and 2019.
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      The Lions also achieved promotion to the Championship under his tenure in 2017.
      League chiefs released a statement saying: “The EFL is shocked and saddened by the news and sends its deepest condolences to John’s family and everyone connected with Millwall.”
      And tributes from ex-players as well as other clubs continued to flow in.
      Former Millwall right-back Alan Dunne said: “My deepest condolences to not only my chairman for many years but also friend.
      “John was a gentleman who put Millwall back on the map. What he has done for the club will always be remembered and can only thank him for everything he done for me and MILLWALL.”
      Ex-Lions striker Steve Morison told talkSPORT: “I don’t believe it, I can’t quite get my head around it.
      “Everything in that statement is spot on. He’s someone who gave me my chance, as well as the manager.
      “He’s the one person in football who’s been constant and positive.
      “It’s absolutely heartbreaking. Anyone who knows him won’t have a bad word to say about him.”
      “He’s shown the rest of the Championship how to run a football club… it’s going to hit so many people at the club. He’s not a chairman that doesn’t see anybody, he’s there.
      “He knew everyone’s family, he knew everyone’s kids. He was a personable person… his wife and his kids were fantastic as well.”
      Berylson, a former Harvard graduate, was also known for his philanthropy – donating to good causes such as education.
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      The club also announced that a book of condolence will be opened at Millwall’s ground, The Den, on Wednesday. 
      The Lions are in shock after the death of a ‘truly great man’Credit: Action Images – Reuters

      Millwall’s full statementThe Lions released the news of John Berylson’s death with a long and touching message on social media. Here is the complete statement.
      “It is with a collective broken heart and the deepest of regret that we announce the passing of our beloved owner and chairman, John Berylson
      .John, who turned 70 last month, lost his life in a tragic accident on Tuesday morning, and the thoughts of everyone at the club are with his wife, Amy, his three children, Jennifer, James, and Elizabeth, and the rest of the Berylson family.
      John’s sudden and tragic passing will unquestionably impact all those who were fortunate to have known him. He was a truly great man, incredibly devoted to his family, and a person of such remarkable generosity, warmth, and kindness.
      He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people.
      “Under John’s passionate leadership and guidance, Millwall Football Club has enjoyed tremendous success and stability. Since first becoming involved in the club in 2006, he has presided over some of the greatest moments in Millwall’s history, and his influence in providing the platform for those was immeasurable.
      “John continued to speak eagerly about the new season and his vision for the future, and any success moving forward will be in his memory and honour. It will be his legacy.
      “John revelled in the club’s underdog status and mentality. He related strongly to such values and identity and adored Millwall supporters. He was fiercely loyal to all his staff, and both they and the fan base will miss him beyond measure.
      “For those who wish to pay their respects, a book of condolence, which will be shared with the Berylson family, will be opened at The Den from 11am on Wednesday 5th July.
      “Those who cannot make it in person to The Den will be able to sign an online book of condolence, which will be available on millwallfc.co.uk in due course.
      “Rest in peace, John, and thank you. You were loved and adored.” More

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      Leeds appoint Daniel Farke as new manager on four-year contract as ex-Norwich boss makes BIG promise to Whites fans

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      LEEDS UNITED have appointed Daniel Farke as their new manager on a four-year contract.The former Norwich City boss was unveiled on Tuesday and made a big promise to Whites fans.
      Daniel Farke has been appointed Leeds United managerCredit: Instagram @leedsunited
      Daniel Farke has made a BIG promise to Leeds United fansCredit: Instagram @leedsunited
      Farke previously won promotion to the Premier League as champions during his time at Carrow Road.
      He was sacked by the Canaries in 2021 and has since had spells with Krasnodar and Borussia Monchengladbach.
      After leaving Gladbach last month, he is now back in management with Leeds, replacing Sam Allardyce in the dugout.
      Following his arrival, he issued a rallying cry to fans as he promised to build a passionate team for the Elland Road faithful.
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      He told the club website: “I don’t want to do an advertisement for myself or something like this but I would like to do an advertisement for Leeds of what my feeling is.
      “This community, this area, this city, this club is outstanding and special and unique and let’s keep this.
      “Let’s stay a bit special and also unique. The most important – together, as one unit.
      “What I can promise is that we will create a team who is ready to go to defend this white shirt and also what I think our supporters want.
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      “They want 11 guys on the pitch who leave their heart out (there).”
      Leeds will look to begin their climb back to the Premier League next month, following their relegation last term.
      Farke’s side start the season at home to Cardiff City on August 6. More

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      Ex-Chelsea star’s son, 16, joins Watford… years after dad scored against them and announced his birth with celebration

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      ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO’S son Kristian has signed for Watford aged 16.The youngster was already part of the Hornets youth set-up and featured in a few matches last season.
      Kristian Shevchenko signs his Watford contract alongside his dad Andriy, rightCredit: Twitter
      Shevchenko celebrated Kristian’s birth alongside his Chelsea team-matesCredit: AFP
      But he is now officially a Watford player after putting pen to paper on a professional contract.
      He posed for a photo as he signed on the dotted line alongside his family, including legendary father Andriy.
      Shevchenko Snr once celebrated Kristian’s birth with a baby rock celebration after netting against Watford in November 2006.
      The Ukrainian scored 22 goals in 77 games for the Blues between 2006-08, helping Chelsea to a domestic cup double in 2006-07.
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      Kristian has also spent time at Chelsea and was part of the academy before making the switch to Watford.
      He was born and raised in London, making him potentially eligible to play for England as a UK passport holder.

      Kristian would also qualify to play internationally for Ukraine and likely the USA and Poland via his mother’s citizenship – Shevchenko’s wife is Polish-American model Kristen Pazik.
      Asked which national team he would like his son to represent in the future, Shevchenko said: “I would like to face such a choice. I’d love to. If there is to be such a choice, then we will talk.”
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      After leaving Chelsea Kristian joined up with the Tottenham academy, but his spell at Spurs was short-lived.
      He will likely be aiming to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a Premier League player in the next few years. More

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      Huddersfield boss Neil Warnock looks to tie up quick transfer deal for relegated Wigan ace Callum Lang

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      HUDDERSFIELD boss Neil Warnock aims to quickly tie up a deal for Wigan attacker Callum Lang.Liverpool youth product Lang, 24, is under contract at relegated Latics and the clubs could sort out a fee.
      Huddersfield are keeping tabs on Wigan star Callum LangCredit: Getty
      Huddersfield manager Neil Warnock wants to quickly complete a deal for LangCredit: PA
      That is despite the fact that some of their players are looking to leave for nothing.
      The PFA have previously advised players they can walk out of the club over past pay delays.
      Some of the squad are handing in their notices although others will stay as they will not be paid the same level of contract elsewhere, even as free agents.
      Lang started out at Liverpool’s academy before joining Wigan at the age of 15.
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      The winger earned a senior call-up in 2017 and underwent a series of loan stints.
      He played for Morecambe, Oldham, Shrewsbury Town and Motherwell.
      Lang started to get opportunities in 2021 and went on to amass a total of 28 goals and 16 assists in 114 appearances.
      However, the forward only managed one goal and four assists in 37 matches last season.
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      This comes after Huddersfield boss Warnock signed a new contract with the club.
      The 74-year-old tactician put pen to paper on a new one-year deal with the Terriers.
      The Sheffield-born head coach came out of retirement in February last season when the West Yorkshire giants looked destined for League One.
      However, Warnock orchestrated a fantastic turnaround and secured Championship football with a game to spare. More

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      Former Man Utd title winner and England international forced to retire aged 33 through injury

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      FORMER Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley has announced his retirement from football at the age of 33.It was confirmed by his current club Watford on Saturday that he was hanging up his boots as a result of an injury.
      Tom Cleverley has retired from football at the age of 33Credit: Getty
      Cleverley came through at Old Trafford and won the Premier League with Man UtdCredit: Getty – Contributor
      But the Hornets also revealed some “exciting news” will soon be jointly announced by Cleverley and the club.
      Watford CEO Scott Duxbury said: “No one could have worked harder than Tom did to make it back from several injuries, which he’s tried to do while always providing a positive force around the players.
      “I can’t speak highly enough about Tom as a person, a player and our captain. Tom is the type of professional all clubs would be delighted to have in their team.
      “The year’s loan at the club before he joined again in January 2017 really helped him settle quickly into being a senior player with us, and his experience has proved invaluable over these past six years.”
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      Cleverley made 32 appearances during Man Utd’s 2012/13 campaign – which saw them lift the Premier League title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season as manager.
      After coming through the Red Devils’ youth set-up, he racked up 79 games for the first team.
      He also managed 13 caps for England across 2012 and 2013.
      Cleverley promised a great deal during the early stages of his career, but was often hampered by injuries which led to some inconsistent form.
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      He departed Old Trafford permanently in 2015 following a loan spell with Aston Villa – where he reached the FA Cup final before losing to Arsenal.
      He left Man Utd for Everton and spent 18 months at Goodison Park, before Watford took him on loan and eventually signed him – eight years after his loan spell at Vicarage Road.
      He spent four full seasons in the Premier League with Watford, along with two in the Championship.
      His retirement means he finishes with 146 appearances for the Hornets and a total of 379 in his club career. More

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      Middlesbrough football club job advert for ‘therapist’ goes wrong as fans spot awful blunder

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      A JOB advert for a ‘therapist’ at Middlesbrough football club has gone disastrously wrong.The second tier team in North Yorkshire posted a job description for a first team physiotherapist/therapist on the club website.
      Middlesbrough football club posted a job advert for a physiotherapist/therapistCredit: PA

      It read: “Middlesbrough Football Club is seeking to recruit a qualified Physiotherapist/Therapist to take a lead role in the rehabilitation of First Team players.
      “Based at the Club’s First-Class Training Ground near the beautiful village of Hurworth near Darlington, the main purpose of this role is to facilitate the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and referrals of injuries for MFC’s First Team players.”
      However Boro supporter Lisa Nicole spotted a serious blunder on the mobile crop, which she shared on Twitter.
      The word ‘therapist’ was split after the ‘the’ putting ‘rapist’ on the next line of text.
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      Lisa’s caption said: “Oh dear, this is where spaces after / come in handy.”
      Several fans were left shocked with one saying: “Fix it please.”
      The advert for the full time role, with applications closing on July 7, has since been rectified by the club.
      Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed and the salary is said to be “competitive”.
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      Boro’s promotion hopes were ended by Coventry City in the Championship play-off semi-finals last season.
      The Sun has approached Middlesbrough football club for comment. More

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      Forgotten Champions League winner with Chelsea is now successful businessman and even attended Harvard

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      FORMER Chelsea defender Ryan Bertrand has founded and sold a business before even retiring from football.The left-back, 33, started the Blues’ Champions League final triumph 11 years ago as they beat Bayern Munich on penalties to clinch their first ever European triumph.
      Former Chelsea man Ryan Bertrand now plays for LeicesterCredit: Getty
      Bertrand, right, won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012Credit: Getty
      More than a decade on, Bertrand has played for the likes of Aston Villa and Southampton, but now plies his trade at Leicester.
      And while he is gearing up for a return to the Championship following the Foxes’ relegation from the Premier League, it is off the pitch where he has garnered much of his success in recent years.
      Bertrand started trading as a young 18-year-old at Chelsea – an interest which eventually led him to start his own brokerage in 2015.
      He set up the business – a fintech start-up called “Silicon Markets” – with the idea of “bringing institutional tools to the at-home trader”.
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      And after developing the company, the ex-Blues star sold it to a Malaysian firm.
      But that is not the only venture he has dipped his toe into over the past decade.
      Bertrand also developed an emoji business alongside ex-team-mate John Terry.
      Speaking to Sky Sports in 2021, he said: “Sports is my passion, that’ll never leave, but finance is another one.
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      “As you’re building the blocks towards post-career, you’ve got to re-learn, re-train, help yourself become an expert in something different.
      “It’s those horror stories that have kept me ahead of the game, I’m always thinking forward.”
      Bertrand’s impressive business-savvy attitude led him to complete the Harvard alternative investments course.
      The course, put on by one of the world’s most renowned universities, is something the defender hopes will further his business knowledge.
      He also has plans to take on the FA’s technical director course at some stage – and has one eye on a role on the board of a football club in the future.
      Bertrand, who is set to work under his 21st manager in Enzo Maresca, told The Guardian in 2018: “At first, English managers could possibly fear it [a director of football]. No one is telling me which players to buy, they’d say.
      “But if you look at it, the demands on one human in the modern-day game … you can’t become six of you.
      “There are specialisms – player recruitment, making sure the club’s methodology is being kept from the youth team up.
      “That’s ultimately what the director of football’s role should be.” More

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      I was pulling pints behind a hotel bar and HATED football just 18 months ago… now I’m a Premier League star

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      JOE TAYLOR has gone from part-time non-league player and barman to Premier League footballer — in 18 months.And the Luton striker could not even break into King’s Lynn’s National League team so was loaned to Wroxham in the NINTH tier playing in front of 100 fans.
      Luton ace Joe Taylor was working as a bartender without a passion for football 18 months agoCredit: Getty
      Taylor then found himself in the Premier League with Luton just 18 months laterCredit: Rex
      Yet last month he climbed off the bench at Wembley before a crowd of 85,711 as the Hatters won promotion.
      Taylor, 20, was cruelly denied by VAR what everyone thought was the extra-time winner when he pounced on a mistake from Coventry defender Jonathan Panzo before drilling a shot past keeper Ben Wilson.
      The ball had ricocheted off his hand to rob him of his first goal in professional football.
      But he did score in a tense shootout as the Hatters won 6-5 on penalties.
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      Yet his fairytale almost did not happen as he wanted to quit football to focus on rugby and cricket at 15.
      Taylor, in his first major interview, told SunSport: “I was more a cricket fan as a kid but got signed by Norwich aged nine.
      “But I didn’t get my scholarship and that was the worst feeling I’ve had in football, apart from my disallowed goal at Wembley!
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      “Myself and another lad who was released, Aaron Powell, got trials at Peterborough and were offered deals.
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      “Aaron said ‘yes’ but I turned mine down because I hated football. I didn’t want to play anymore. I said, ‘Dad, this isn’t for me.’ He asked, ‘So what is?’ I told him, ‘Rugby.’
      “So I played for Swaffham as a full-back and did well so I’d play rugby in the winter and cricket for Bradenham in the summer where I was an all-rounder, I had county trials when I was younger.”
      Taylor then dabbled back in football by signing for King’s Lynn as a youth player.
      And after his 16th birthday, he broke into the reserves and scored more than 20 goals in his first season — prompting the club to give him a contract.
      He said: “I had fallen back in love with football because I was playing with mates.
      “I told the club’s director of football Rob Back, ‘If the gaffer isn’t going to give me a go in the first-team, I’d like to go out on loan’ so I went to Wroxham.
      “Former Norwich players Grant Holt, Adam Drury and Simon Lappin were there. Chris Sutton’s son Ollie was the keeper and Darren Huckerby’s boy, Tom, played in defence.
      I was working in a hotel as a barman, which I loved, but when the call came from Peterborough my mind was made.Joe Taylor
      “Wroxham manager Jordan Southgate was the best thing that happened to me as he gave me my chance. I scored 21 goals in 13 games.”
      With his exploits attracting EFL interest, King’s Lynn recalled him and he played his only game for the club against Solihull Moors. But within days he signed his first pro contract with Peterborough.
      He said: “I was working in a hotel as a barman, which I loved, but when the call came from Peterborough my mind was made.”
      At Posh he got off to a flier in the under-23s, was soon in and around the first-team and getting minutes off the bench in the Championship.
      Taylor was only there for 14 months and had not even started a game when Luton signed him in January.
      Hatters head of recruitment Mick Harford and scout Phil Chapple had been to watch him several times in the under-23s and clearly liked what they saw.
      And with Luton fighting for promotion to the Premier League, he walked into a top environment.
      He admitted: “It was daunting. I was unproven, hadn’t done much in the game and was walking into a dressing room with experienced players such as Henri Lansby, Cauley Woodrow, Carlton Morris, Tom Lockyer.
      “But I’ve always believed, given the right platform, I’ll perform.
      Taylor thought he scored the winner against Coventry in the play-off finalCredit: Getty
      Taylor still helped Luton gain promotion as he scored his penalty at WembleyCredit: AFP
      “I don’t get nervous but on the pitch before the warm-up I got butterflies.
      “And then when the teams walked out for kick-off, it was packed, they had the flames going and there was the national anthem. It was a wow moment.
      “The gaffer and his assistants Paul Trollope and Richie Kyle kept banging into me, ‘If you come on today, you’re going to score the winner.’”
      And when he did eventually come on, he thought he had.
      Taylor sighed: “It was my biggest 100 to zero moment. I thought I had fired the team into the Premier League.”
      However, he showed nerves of steel to net the second of Luton’s penalties and after Coventry’s Fankaty Dabo missed in sudden death to seal Luton’s promotion, Taylor collapsed to his knees and cried.
      He said: “I’m not an emotional person. As a young lad to be part of winning a huge game, it’s the stuff of dreams — especially at the home of football.”
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      And because Taylor is not 21, he was not able to join the rest of his team-mates as they partied in Las Vegas because in the United States he is under-age to drink or enter casinos.
      He said: “The lads kept sending me pictures and videos — rubbing it in!” More