Ipswich Town hero George Burley is being treated for cancer.
George Burley, best known for managing Ipswich Town in the Premier League, has revealed that he is being treated for cancer. The 68-year-old was a member of Ipswich Town’s winning FA Cup and UEFA Cup squads in 1978 and 1981.
He went on to manage the Blues in the late 1990s and early 2000s, leading them back to the Premier League through the Championship play-offs. Despite being one of the favourites to be relegated, they finished fifth in their maiden season of top-flight football and qualified for Europe.
Burley confirmed on Tuesday, via the Ipswich website, that he was undergoing cancer treatment after being diagnosed earlier this year.
“After feeling unwell earlier this year, I have recently received a diagnosis and I am taking positive action to fight the disease,” according to him. “It’s been a trying time, but I’m feeling lot better today.
“In fact, I am able to get to matches at Portman Road and I am enjoying watching the team playing back in the Premier League.”
Current manager Kieran McKenna added: “This club has had some fantastic managers, and George is right up there with the best. It has been a pleasure to get to know George since my arrival in Ipswich.
“He is a happy and optimistic character, and I am confident he will carry that attitude into the battle he is currently facing. We’re all right behind him.
Burley is frequently visible in the stands at Portman Road and hopes to continue attending home games despite his cancer treatment. He appeared in nearly 500 appearances for Ipswich and managed 413 games before being fired in 2002.
Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton stated, “Our sympathies are with George, his wife Jill, and their family. It’s always a pleasure to see him in the directors’ box on matchdays, and we will do everything we can to support one of our all-time greats, who is both a player and a manager.
Before taking over Scotland in 2008, Burley had previously coached Derby County and Southampton. His most recent football role was as manager of Cypriot club Apollon Limassol, where he lasted less than a year before leaving in 2012.
He applied for a second stint as Ipswich manager in 2012 and again in 2018, but was passed over by Mick McCarthy and Paul Hurst, respectively.