A host of Town stars paid final tribute to legend Kevin Beattie at the former England international's funeral at Seven Hills Crematorium this afternoon.
Beattie, widely viewed as Town's greatest ever player, died aged 64 of a heart attack in his sleep on Sunday 16th September.
Former team-mates Mick Mills, Brian Talbot, Roger Osborne, John Wark, Allan Hunter, Trevor Whymark, Eric Gates, Laurie Sivell, George Burley, Terry Butcher, Kevin Steggles, John Peddelty, Ian Collard, Kevin O'Callaghan, Tommy Parkin, Les Tibbott, Steve McCall and Mick Lambert were all at a packed crematorium along with Beattie's friends and family before later being joined by Alan Brazil in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite at Portman Road.
More recent Blues Kieron Dyer, Chris Kiwomya, Jamie Clapham and Mick Stockwell were also present, along with Len Fletcher, who played as a wing-half in the 1950s, and former youth player George Ainsley.
Caretaker-manager Bryan Klug, academy manager Lee O’Neill, ex-scout and coach Brian Owen, former chairman David Sheepshanks, Pat Godbold, PA and secretary to nine Town managers, ex-public relations officer Mel Henderson and former club secretaries David Rose and Sally Webb were also in attendance.
BBC Radio Suffolk’s Mark Murphy, who presented Life’s a Pitch alongside Beattie for seven years, and former youth player Mark Lomas read eulogies.
Prior to the service, the funeral cortege passed by the statue of Beattie’s mentor Sir Bobby Robson in Portman Road where a large crowd - as well as current players Tom Adeyemi, Emyr Huws, Harry Wright and a number of academy youngsters as well as club staff including MD Ian Milne - applauded and chanted in final tribute to the club’s greatest hero.