...and their desire to come up with the ridiculous in the press ? Millwall's version of Simon Jordan in The Telegraph....
The Harvard MBA and former US Marine who knows the Queen had 20 death threats while refinancing banks in Rhode Island, almost bought Liverpool and Leeds United and hails from Viking stock (via Cornwall).
"I looked at buying Liverpool with Kraft,'' recalled Berylson this week. "Having watched [eventual co-owners] George Gillett and Tom Hicks, I don't know whether 50-50 would have worked.
"Sooner or later this problem between them will erupt. And the price which Gillett and Hicks paid [£220 million] was twice what we thought Liverpool were worth.
"I kept an eye on English football. Some partners of mine wanted me to buy Leeds. I said: 'I have to fly into London and then drive three hours!' Then Millwall came to us a through a financial source in the City. Peter de Savary, who was chairman, showed me a complete mishmash of [plans for] Millwall, with some real estate regeneration.''
So close to London's financial quarters, the potential was obvious. "It was one of those Ronald Reagan moments: 'If there's manure around, there must be a pony some place'. I looked at it with the view that ultimately, if we got the zoning change [to allow development], then the worst came to the worst, I could get my money out through real estate.''
In buying Millwall, Berylson was aware of the unappetising history of some of the club's fans. "I knew what Millwall represented. Like every American I've seen Green Street [the 2005 fictional film about West Ham hooligans].
"I wasn't scared. Members of my family from the Wars of Redcoats [Independence] onwards have found themselves in harm's way. An astounding number of people in my family have been killed doing the right thing. With Vietnam, I was drafted. I joined the Marine Corps.''
His subsequent financial career took Berylson into dangerous territory. "In the early Nineties, I was the good guy, saving banks in Rhode Island, going around making speeches but people had issues with the refinancing.
"I made a fair amount of money but I needed bodyguards. I had 20-odd death threats. I had someone pull a gun on me in a town meeting. My children were going to school with bodyguards.
"Then someone suggested I run for public office. The only problem they could see was that I might get assassinated. My wife said, 'I don't think you understand. This man could sail around the world for the rest of his life and make more money every day than you do – and not get killed.'
" So that was the end of my political career. Millwall fans didn't scare me. I wanted to find why the club had the reputation and I concluded Millwall were no different from 20 other clubs.
"Manchester United, Leeds and Liverpool have their problems. I went to a game in Buenos Aires and watched nine people get killed.
"The first Millwall game my wife saw was a near riot against Oldham. Police all over the place. I was inches from an explosion. Everybody was very concerned about my wife. Her comment was, 'If you think this is scary you have never gone to a game in Boston.' Sports in the US can get very hairy.
"At the beginning, the Millwall fans didn't like an American coming in that much. I had a little ruckus. I lost my temper pretty quickly, which can happen, with three flaky kids.
"We'd lost a game, I was angry and I didn't like what they were saying – a lot of anti-American slurs – and every fourth word was the c-word, which is just not used in America. I said: 'Let's go outside [to settle it]'. I'm 56. I'm in pretty good shape. They didn't want to.
"I don't look for physical altercation but I'm proud to be American. I am surprised by the amount of anti-Americanism I find here. When Britain goes to sleep at night, wakes up and finds Germans on its shores, which country is going to be there for you? We are.
"OK, we might have been a little late for World Wars I and II. I was kidding your Queen that I came from Boston where 'The Shot Heard Round The World' was fired [from the American Revolution].
"She said: 'Well, that's OK, because you were able to give us a little bit of help during World Wars I and II.' 'Happy to be of help,' I said. 'If there's another problem, please give us a call.'
"I have some British blood. One of my relatives was on his way from Denmark to America 200 years ago and ended up in tin mines in Cornwall for a while. I can name every king of yours from William the Conqueror.
"We'd like to buy a stately mansion on your North East coast. My ancestors were Vikings, so I'm related to everybody up there. But if you're going to come to the UK every other week, it's a lot nicer to be in London than – not to pick on them – Scunthorpe.''
Scunthorpe United, of course, are Millwall's opponents at Wembley on Sunday. "I'm very excited, very nervous. I hope our players play the game of their lives. They are on the edge of history. Kenny Jackett has done a great job. I am proud to be chairman.
"I think Millwall fans like me now. I like them. I learnt the offside rule, the players' names. I was very touched at Leeds when the fans were calling for me to come out at the end of the [play-off semi-final second leg] game. The players pushed me out. The fans started chanting 'USA' for 15 minutes.''
Berylson would love to hear it reverberating around Wembley on Sunday.
0
Comments
you said it pal.
having seen a Youtube clip of their 'celebrations', its no more than 15 seconds. Exaggeration does seem to be one of his traits though.
Am sure he really wanted to 'go outside' with the fans.
And what explosion was he inches away from?
That thought did cross my mind but then I thought about all the zero's on the cheque and decided to cross my fingers and hope : - )
I'm speechless, this guy is far worse than Jordan.
Status
Anxiety
America.................F**K YEAH!!!
His flight from Boston to Heathrow was cancelled on Tuesday due to high winds, so he swam it in 42 hours
Mr. Berylson clearly doesn't realise that anti -Americanism suddenly increases every time he walks into a room and starts talking. Obviously, once he shuts up and leaves it decreases again.
I'm suprised he doesn't realise this as he's clearly a man who reads his own press!
So he does not use the c -word.Come on sCUNThorpe.Pity you have not got a GERMAIN striker.