Burley on Relegation - Ipswich Town News

Former boss George Burley has made rare comments on Town's 2001/02 relegation and his sacking. The Blues dropped out of the Premiership just a year after finishing fifth having made a number of high-profile signings. Three months into the next season Burley was relieved of his duties.

The Hearts manager told a national newspaper that having achieved a UEFA Cup place, Town went looking to finish even higher, an aspiration he now sees as foolish: "We brought in three or four foreign players to try to improve what we had and I think that was fatal.

"To try to improve on fifth, we had no chance. We should have said: 'We finished fifth but next season we're going to finish 14th.'"

Burley also says that he was not alone in considering his dismissal by the Blues harsh: "There was a poll and I think 95% of Ipswich fans thought it was wrong and so did most people in football."

Hearts took their 100% run to seven matches on Saturday and are now five points clear at the top of the SPL.

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