Friday night’s fundraiser for the Kevin Beattie statue campaign at Gainsborough Labour Club raised £3,293.60.
Beattie’s former team-mate George Burley spoke at the event, which was hosted by BBC Radio Suffolk’s Mark Murphy and attended by the former Town and England defender’s family.
Among the items auctioned were a home strip signed by Richard Naylor which he wore against Bolton in the 1998/99 season, which fetched £300, while a framed white Ipswich shirt signed by Beattie himself, as well as Russell Osman, Mick Mills and John Wark, hit the £250 mark.
A shirt worn by Andre Dozzell in the FA Cup tie at Accrington Stanley and signed by the midfielder and his team-mates went for £140.
Marty Nicholls, treasurer of the Labour Club, where Beattie was a regular, who organised the event along with secretary Lynn Bowers, said: "It was fantastic and was so well supported. We have raised £3,293.60 - we were hoping to raise between £1,500 and £2,000, so it is a lot more than we hoped for.
"We really want to thank everyone who came and supported us, and who gave draw prizes and items.â€
Led by the EADT and Ipswich Star in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk and TWTD, The Beat Goes On was launched on December 18th last year on what would have been Beattie’s 65th birthday.
The current target is £110,000, although it is hoped that figure will be reduced as the campaign progresses. The cash raised on Friday have taken the total raised past the £56,000 mark.
Tickets are still available for next week’s big event, the black-tie gala evening at Greshams on Friday where a number of Beattie’s team-mates will be present.
Other events coming up over the summer include screenings of Escape to Victory at Greshams on June 12th and 13th where Russell Osman, Laurie Sivell and Kevin O’Callaghan will be telling stories from the film in which Beattie was Michael Caine’s body double.
There is also the night of Proper Comedy at Portman Road on Friday 31st May.
Blues season ticket holder Sean Hedges-Quinn, known as Coach, will sculp the statue of Beattie having been the man responsible for the Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson statues at Portman Road.
You can make a donation online via the Go Fund Me page or send a cheque made payable to ‘The Beat Goes On’ to Kevin Beattie Statue Appeal, EADT, Portman House, 120 Princes Street, Ipswich, IP1 1RS.
There are also collection buckets at reception at the EADT’s offices and at BBC Radio Suffolk.