South London Press

Chair is ready for the battle

Millwall chairman John G Berylson has reiterated his commitment to making sure the club benefits if a regeneration around The Den comes to fruition.
The Lions supremo is determined to push ahead with the multi-million pound project - and to ensure there is a huge cash bonus for the club when it's completed.
"I am not a property developer, I am a football fan - and I want the club to benefit if any project does come about," he said this week, days before he takes on major shareholder Graham Lacey in a showdown which will decide the future of the club.
"I will do all I can to protect this club - and I will make sure it is safe from anyone who might want to undermine its future. I want fans to be proud of the team and what we achieve.
We lost money last year, yes, and attracted criticism for that, but we made the right decisions for the long-term future of Millwall.
I appointed a proper manager who knows everything about the game and knows what he wants from his squad.
We bought first-rate players rather than second-rate ones. On long contracts rather than short ones because we don't want to lose them.
We risked relegation by picking young players because that will make us much stronger next year.
Ali Fuseini took his chance, for example, and what a player he will be next season.
Fans will have seen how quickly Lewis Grabban progressed after he arrived and played in the first team. Marc Laird has grown very quickly as a player and David Martin has shown us what he can do. I also really hope this will be Ryan Smith's season.
We have a strong new keeper in David Forde - and I was astounded on seeing a video of him saving Neil Harris's penalty last season because he didn't move until after Neil struck the ball - it was an unbelievable save.
We saw from Jamie O'Hara's loan at Millwall last season that players move on in leaps and bounds when they feature for us - and he went straight into the Spurs first team after his loan.
As far as I'm concerned, there is no difference between just failing to go up and 17th. Success is all-important.
I am determined to make this club a success. I believe if you hit a brick wall, you have to break it down. You certainly don't give up just because of a little problem.
I expect to be a leader for this club and in our situation that is what we need - someone who makes decisions for the benfit of the team.
I really don't think I have anything to apologise for on that front.
The English know all about that, because in the Second World War you picked Churchill rather than Chamberlain and if you hadn't done, you might have been speaking German now.
I promise to do my best to make the right decisions for this club.
I might be wrong occassionally, but I will take time getting everyone's views, then do what I think will improve this club's prospects. That is what every fan wants."