George Burley, who is best known for managing Ipswich Town in the Premier League, has revealed that he is undergoing treatment for cancer. The 68-year-old played for Ipswich throughout one of the best periods in their history and was part of the squad that won the FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 1978 and 1981 respectively.
He went on to manage the Blues in the late 1990s and early 2000s, during which time he led them back into the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. In their first season of top-flight football, they secured a fifth-placed finish to qualify for Europe despite being one of the favourites for relegation.
On Tuesday, Burley released a statement via the Ipswich website to confirm that he was undergoing cancer treatment following a diagnosis earlier this year.
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"After feeling unwell earlier this year, I have recently received a diagnosis and I am taking positive action to fight the disease," he said. "It has been a difficult time, but I am feeling much brighter now.
"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 brilliant managers and George is right up there as one of the very best. It has been a pleasure to get to know George since I arrived at Ipswich.
"He is a positive and optimistic character and I know he will also take that attitude into the battle he now faces. We are all right behind him."
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Burley is regularly spotted in the stands at Portman Road and will be hoping to continue attending home fixtures alongside his cancer treatment. He was involved in over 500 matches as an Ipswich player and managed 413 games before he was sacked in 2002.
Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton said: "Our thoughts are with George, his wife Jill and their family. It’s always great to see him here in the directors’ box on a matchday and we will do everything we can to support one of our all-time greats, uniquely as both player and manager."
Burley also managed the likes of Derby County and Southampton before taking charge of Scotland in 2008. His last job in football saw him manage Cypriot side Apollon Limassol, where he stayed for less than a year before leaving the club in 2012.
He applied for a second stint in charge of Ipswich in 2012 and again in 2018 but missed out to Mick McCarthy and Paul Hurst respectively.
