Ipswich announce club legend George Burley, 68, is receiving treatment for cancer

Ipswich Town have announced that former player and manager George Burely is currently undergoing treatment for cancer.

Burley, who also played for clubs such as Gillingham and Sunderland during his career, had two spells as a player for Ipswich, the first lasting 13 years and reaching the 500-game mark.

He joined the club as a trainee in 1972 and made his debut for the first team in 1973. In the following decade he became a regular for the club.

At the age of 29 he left for Sunderland, where he played for six other clubs before returning to Ipswich for a season in 1994, after which he retired.

Ipswich released a club statement on Tuesday announcing that the now 68-year-old player is receiving treatment. Burley himself also issued a statement.

The 68-year-old played for and was manager of Ipswich, making 500 appearances in total.

Burley, pictured next to his wife Jill in 2008, spoke about his treatment in a statement released by the club

“After feeling unwell earlier this year, I have recently been diagnosed and am taking positive action to combat the disease,” he said. “It has been a difficult time but I am feeling much more cheerful now.

‘I can even go to the games at Portman Road now and I enjoy watching the team play in the Premier League.’

‘We are grateful to the club for the support they have given me and my family and I would like to ask everyone to respect our privacy at this time.’

Burley, who played for Scotland 11 times, managed Ipswich 413 times between 1994 and 2002 after retiring as a footballer.

He also managed clubs such as Colchester, Derby and Southampton, as well as Scotland.

He said he can ‘attend the games at Portman Road and enjoy watching the team playing in the Premier League’

Burley also played 11 caps for Scotland and was national coach of his country after managing Ipswich

Town’s current manager Kieran McKenna told the club website: ‘This club has had some brilliant managers and George is absolutely up there with the very best.

“It has been a pleasure to know George since I arrived at Ipswich. He is a positive and optimistic character and I know he will take that attitude into the fight he is now fighting. We are all behind him.”

Chairman Mark Ashton added: ‘Our thoughts are with George, his wife Jill and their family. It is always great to see him here in the directors’ box on a match day and we will do everything we can to support one of our all-time greats, unique as a player and manager.’