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Ipswich Town legend George Burley says he's lucky to be alive after being given the all clear from pancreatic cancer.
The 68-year-old former Blues player and manager, one of the biggest icons in the history of the club, announced in September 2024 that he was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of the disease.
"My specialists gave me the all clear about two weeks ago," said the Scot, who played as a right-back during an era when Town won the FA Cup Cup (1978) and UEFA Cup (1981) before returning as manager to guide the club to Championship promotion, via a Wembley Play-Off Final win (2000), and a subsequent fifth-place Premier League finish.
"I wasn't feeling too well around January last year. I had a few tests, they came back clear, but as time went on I still wasn't feeling great. I had more tests and this time they gave me some antibiotics for eight weeks. I went on holiday to Spain and it was then I knew I wasn't digesting my food very well and that my bowel movement was unusual. I'd lost a stone and a half of weight.
"Eventually I went back to the doctor and got on the pathway to diagnosis. I had numerous tests, a camera put in me, and they said I had pancreatic cancer. They said the tumour wasn't huge, but that it needed to be removed. The problem was it was quite near to some blood vessels.
George Burley led Ipswich Town to Championship promotion, via a Wembley Play-Off Final win, in 2000.
George Burley led Ipswich Town to Championship promotion, via a Wembley Play-Off Final win, in 2000.
(Image: PROFESSIONAL SPORT)
"I had six doses of chemotherapy and a stent fitted to help with blood flow and digestion. Thankfully, my body reacted really well, the tumour shrunk by a third and that made the surgery a lot less dangerous.
"I had the big operation in November last year - it took eight/nine hours. I'm told the pancreas is very difficult to deal with, but I had a fantastic surgeon in Professor Fusai.
"There were some side effects from the operation, and I stayed in hospital for three weeks after, but eventually everything settled down. After that I had another six doses of chemo to make sure everything was cleared out.
"A few weeks ago I had a biopsy. Seventeen nodes were tested and every one came back clear, which was fantastic news. At my last scan, they found a little blood clot, but I was put on some blood thinners and that sorted that.
"I'll have to take a drug from the rest of my life to help me digest food, but other than that they say I'm in a good place."
George Burley was named Manager of the Year in 2001 after leading newly-promoted Ipswich Town to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
George Burley was named Manager of the Year in 2001 after leading newly-promoted Ipswich Town to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League. (Image: PA)
Burley continued: "It's been a long road, a difficult road. Pancreatic cancer is a difficult one, it can spread easy, so I'm very lucky to have come out the other side.
"All my family have been extraordinary. I felt for them because they're thinking 'what can we do?' They were a great influence in my recovery.
"My mindset was 'how am I going to get better as quick as possible?' I did everything they asked of me and tried to live a normal life as much as possible. I carried on going to most of the Ipswich home games and walked my dog in Christchurch Park every morning.
"I just tried to stay positive and not wake up every day thinking 'I've got cancer'. I was the first player to ever come back from a cruciate knee ligament injury in 1981, so a bit of the old footballer recovery mindset definitely kicked in. There's no doubt that being quite fit all my life has helped me get through it.
"It's still one step at a time, and I'll keep getting checked, but at the moment I'm feeling well. I'm playing golf again now, which I'm pleased about. The chemo affected my appetite, but I'm now just about back to normal with that. I've still got about a stone of weight to put back on."
George Burley was a key player during an era when Ipswich Town win the FA Cup (1978) and UEFA Cup (1981).
George Burley was a key player during an era when Ipswich Town win the FA Cup (1978) and UEFA Cup (1981).
(Image: Newsquest)
Burley added: "I got taken around some of the lounges at Portman Road at the weekend (after Ipswich's 1-0 home defeat to Brentford) and the reaction to my good news was phenomenal.
"Every day, when I was on my dog walk, Ipswich fans would wish me the best and tell me about their own experiences with cancer. That really gave me a lift.
"Ipswich is a small community and it certainly looks after its own."
Ipswich Town returned to the Premier League following a 22-year absence last summer, but have suffered an instant relegation back to the Championship.
"There have been so many games where we've done really well and maybe not got the points we deserved," said Burley.
"There's no doubt that the gap between the Premier League and Championship is huge now.
"The club has done everything it can, but maybe it's been one step too far after coming straight through from League One.
"You have to remember that when we got promoted in 2000 we'd had four seasons in the play-offs. That team had been built over a period of time to be ready for the top division."
Looking ahead to next season, Burley, who has received messages of support from current Blues boss Kieran McKenna, added: "My son-in-law, Chris Hogg (former Town player and coach), is at Bristol City so I've watched quote a lot of Championship games this season. It's not going to be easy, but you can see the difference in levels between the divisions. I have every confidence in this manager and squad to bounce back next season."
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