Cameron Burgess, a Town defender, has made his Premier League debut, appearing in the last three games in place of fellow left-sided defender Jacob Greaves.
Greaves was one of the Blues’ standout players in the early stages of the season, but a hamstring injury sustained ahead to the Everton match has allowed Burgess to play in the Premier League for the first time in his career.
Burgess has made advantage of the opportunity, with the draw against Leicester City marking his 100th start for the club since signing in the summer of 2021, when the Blues were in League One.
“It’s a proud moment for me personally, and I’m just trying to do what I can to help the team and get some points on the board,” he stated after the game against Leicester.
“We must continue that, which we have done thus far. The boys that have come in have done an excellent job of building on the culture, which is a significant accomplishment for us.”
While conceding that the transition from the third division to the Premier League happened so quickly, Burgess says he believed he could make the step up, and that the same approach applies to the rest of the Town players who have been searching for more minutes this season.
He remarked, “It happened incredibly quickly, maybe faster than any of us expected, but you have to believe in yourself at this level. It’s a difficult level to play at, but it is the summit, and that’s where we want to compete.
“It’s a proud moment, but it’s the same for all of the boys in the dressing room; we have to prove we can mix it at this level.” The most important aspect has been the excitement. It’s the level you want to challenge yourself at.
“I’ve enjoyed it so far and it would be nice to get a win, that’s the next step that we’re looking for.”
The Australian international was on international duties in Japan when Greaves sustained his injury, and he returned late in the week before making his Premier League debut against the Toffees two weeks ago.
Despite the logistical challenges, Burgess says he was happy to be able to step in at short notice and praises his training for allowing him to maintain the level required to do so.
He also stated that, when both are fit, he welcomes the challenge of fighting with Greaves for a spot in the starting XI.
“That’s what you prepare for and what you train hard for so you’re ready at a moment’s call,” Burgess joked.
“I was prepared to take it when the opportunity arose. That’s why we’re in a squad; we have a large and talented group, so everyone is prepared to step in when the opportunity arises.
“It’s terrific; we’re challenging each other. It’s a difficult situation to get into. Greavesy has settled in well at the club and has performed admirably when he has played, so it will be a tough but intriguing contest.
Dara O’Shea has been Burgess’ defensive partner for the previous two matches, but the former Accrington Stanley player believes the training program allows him to play alongside anyone in Town’s defensive unit.
The 29-year-old explained, “We work so hard in training all week. It makes no difference who plays; we all work together.
“We stick to our values, and it doesn’t matter who is playing with us. We develop great relationships throughout the week, and this carries over into Saturday.”
Burgess described the Portman Road ambiance as “special.” You don’t get to do it very often. It’s a unique venue to play since the crowd are right behind us from the moment we go onto the pitch. It’s fantastic to watch.”
Town are still winless after ten games this season and face three difficult fixtures either side of the November international break.
First, the Blues go to Tottenham Hotspur before hosting Manchester United, followed by a trip to Nottingham Forest, who have started the season in fine form.
“Let’s go for it,” Burgess remarked. “In the same way we’ve done before. So far, we’ve had some interesting games, and there are more to come. We need to put our foot down, work hard, and challenge them.”
