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Fans Offered Chance to Have Name on Beattie Statue Plinth - Ipswich Town News

Town fans are being offered the chance for their name to be one of 20 inscribed on the plinth of the soon-to-be-unveiled statue of Blues legend Kevin Beattie to raise additional funds to complete the project.

For a £500 donation, a supporter will have their name etched forever on the plinth of the statue of the man often voted the club's greatest ever player, which will be unveiled in Portman Road before Christmas.

The names will be listed in a section on the back of the plinth. This will thank all Ipswich Town fans for raising money for the statue - but gives special thanks to the 20 who have made the £500 pledge.

The Beat Goes On statue appeal - a joint initiative between the EADT/Ipswich Star, BBC Radio Suffolk and TWTD - was launched in December 2018 with £110,000 raised in eight months, while MC Contracts and Ridgeons agreed to provide the plinth.

Brad Jones, editor of the EADT and chair of the campaign committee, said: "Town fans have been so generous since day one. This project has been driven by them.

"We raised the initial fundraising target after eight months. Then Covid hit, delayed the project which saw some costs rise and we faced unexpected complications around the plinth - which now require us to raise a little more to see the project over the line.

"The project team felt this was the best way to do it - and give 20 fans a really unique opportunity.”

Those interested will need to act fast - the closing date is Monday 11th October. Supporters can email brad.jones@archant.co.uk for more details.

Meanwhile, there are also now just four of the extremely limited edition miniatures of the statue, all handmade by sculptor and Blues season ticket holder Sean Hedges-Quinn, still available.

The maquettes are cast in bronze resin and mounted on a beautiful engraved plinth, and are available for £1,200. Only 40 have been made with just four remaining unsold. All proceeds from the sales will go towards the final fundraising.

The maquettes, which come with a certificate of authenticity signed by Emma Beattie, the former Town and England central defenders daugher, Sean Hedges-Quinn and Blues legend Terry Butcher, can be purchased here.

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