Town defender has proven to be a bargain six-figure buy for the Tractor Boys

Much has been made of Ipswich Town’s attacking prowess over the last two seasons, but at the other end of the ground, some unsung heroes are continuing to assist the Tractor Boys advance to the Premier League.

No club has scored more league goals than Suffolk this season, with Kieran McKenna’s side regularly scoring through Conor Chaplin, Nathan Broadhead, and Kieffer Moore.

However, while the merry men are laying siege to the opponents’ goal, the backline still requires marshalling, and Cameron Burgess has succeeded in his role at the middle of defence over the previous two seasons, and has been a vital part of their recent climb to prominence.

Sitting alongside Luke Woolfenden at the back for much of the campaign, the former Accrington Stanley man has proven to be a shrewd acquisition for the East Anglians back in the summer of 2021.

Cameron Burgess continues to impress as Ipswich Town bear down on the Premier League

Burgess began his career at Fulham, then went on loan to Cheltenham Town, Oldham Athletic, and Bury before joining Scunthorpe United on a permanent basis in 2017.

He spent three years at Glanford Park, including a loan spell at Salford City, before joining Accrington ahead of the 20/21 season, when he slotted seamlessly into the defensive unit at the Wham Stadium.

Not only was the centre back skilled at keeling the ball out of the back of the net, but he was also perfectly suited to the style that then-manager John Coleman was employing at the time, with Stanley emphasizing playing the ball out from behind and moving the ball from defense.

His comfort on the ball and clear ability to judge defensive situations aroused Ipswich’s interest ahead of the next season, and a reputed £750,000 sum was enough to lure him away from the Lancashire club.

Burgess appeared right at home at Portman Road, with just three teams conceding more goals than the Tractor Boys in his debut year, and he has since established himself as a first-team regular over his three years in Suffolk.

The following season, McKenna and his team surged through the third division, eventually finishing second to Plymouth Argyle and securing their return to the Championship after four years away.

With an insatiable desire to score goals – 101 in total – it would be easy to focus solely on the boys in blue’s attacking output, but much of their domination will have stemmed from their ability to easily repel rival advances, as evidenced by a league-low 35 goals conceded.

Moving on to the Championship, McKenna has never deviated from his tried and true main centre back while in the second tier, with Burgess impressing in each of his 36 appearances this season, as his career continues to progress.

Despite the improvement in quality, the 28-year-old has been more than a match for every team he has faced this season, with Woolfenden and Sam Morsy giving adequate assistance in keeping the ball out of the net.

Cameron Burgess Championship defensive stats for Ipswich Town

The massive defender leads the way for his heroics in putting his body in the way of shoots for his team this season, with 34 attempts on goal failing to reach their intended target, while his 170 clearances also set a high standard for the Tractor Boys.

When the ball is in the air, the defender really shines; the Australian won 144 aerial duels this season, more than doubling that of teammate centre back Woolfenden.

That defensive dominance is what has made Town such a fearsome force in the second division this season, and it allows players further forward to flaunt their stuff; a strategy that has proven successful time and again in 23/24.

Burgess will be remembered as one of the best pound-for-pound signings in the club’s history, with quality seeping from every pore every time he takes the field for the Suffolk side.

The centre defender deserves every achievement he receives, and would not look out of place in the first division if the Portman Road club achieves their ultimate objective this season.