The statue of Blues legend Kevin Beattie is now in place at Portman Road, but will remain under wraps until its unveiling on Saturday morning.

It was lifted on to its plinth on Thursday morning as finishes touches are made to the memorial which honours the player regularly voted Ipswich Town's greatest of all-time.

The statue was crowdfunded by Town fans, who are invited to join the unveiling, which will take place between 9.30am and 11am. While it is now in situ, it will remain covered until Saturday.

The ceremony will be attended by Beattie's family and club legends, sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn (below), and those who have helped make the project happen.

BBC Radio Suffolk's Mark Murphy, who is on the campaign team, will host a live outside broadcast from 9.30am on Saturday and be the master of ceremonies. The unveiling itself is expected to happen at around 10.15am.

Brad Jones, editor of the East Anglian Daily Times and who has led the campaign committee, said: “We can't wait to finally unveil this statue to fans, who have driven this project since day one.

“It is looking fantastic, and I must also pay tribute to the work on the site carried out by Mark Calver, of MC Contracts. It has been transformed, with new paving and fence, and it's created the perfect backdrop to Sean's superb statue.”

Beattie stands in Portman Road, diagonally opposite Planet Blue, on land provided by Ipswich Borough Council. The council has commissioned the statue, and has played a key role in bringing the project to fruition, with funding supplied through the campaign.

The East of England Co-op has also generously donated the stone cladding and stonemasonry work to the project through HL Perfitts, a part of the Co-op's family of businesses, saving the campaign a major cost.

Road closures will be in place on Saturday in Portman Road and Alderman Road for safety reasons, and people are advised to find alternative places to park if driving into the town centre. Portman Road Car Park C will only be accessible from Friars Bridge Road.

Ipswich Town are supporting the unveiling with the FanZone open at an earlier time of 10.45am ahead of the Sunderland match.

Photos: EADT/Sean Hedges-Quinn

BlueandTruesince82 added 18:06 - Dec 16 Maybe this shall lift the curse
0

Karlosfandangal added 18:18 - Dec 16 How we could do with the Legend Kevin Beattie now. In fact we need all the players from that era
3

therein61 added 18:32 - Dec 16 The great man will be looking down on his club and weeping, the current crew should study videos of him in a blue shirt and be made to understand that he played so many times with injections in his Knee(that knackered and finished him) because he wanted to be out there helping the club he loved, but of course this current lot couldn't give a damn!!! shame on them.
4

BurleysGloryDays added 18:38 - Dec 16 Fantastic. George Burley next.
2

KernewekBlue added 00:28 - Dec 17 I was fortunate enough to meet and chat with the great man himself on a couple of occasions when visiting Portman Road, all the way up from mid-Cornwall, for home matches. I was introduced to him by another Town legend, the wonderful John Wark. He was a true blue legend, through and through and deserves the honour and status this statue will convey for many years to come. There are more candidates from our glorious past for statues too, Terry Butcher, John Wark and Paul Mariner to name a few... conspicuously, not too many from the last few years though.

0

Bazza8564 added 09:19 - Dec 17 Fabulous tribute, looking forward to seeing it tomorrow up close. Mariner next for me...
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls