Town manager George Burley today signed a lucrative new five-year contract which will keep him at Portman Road until 2006. At a press conference this morning, which many had thought was to announce the new sponsor, David Sheepshanks announced the new deal thought by many to be worth at least £500,000 a year.

Sheepshanks sitting with George Burley, announced the new contract: "George has just signed a new five-year contract which will keep him here until 2006. Isn't it great? Fourth in the Premiership, challenging for the Champions' League and already in the UEFA Cup. All this is down to the man on my left."

He added: "It is entirely right that we should reward him now he has proven himself at the top level."

Of Burley's December 1994 appointment Sheepshanks, who was on the board at the time, said: "We identified him as the man for the long-term. We have no doubt we made the right choice."

Sheepshanks said that there were difficult times and admitted that the board didn't expect to get straight back in the Premiership after the 94/95 relegation season. They didn't even expect to get as close as we did with Sheepshanks again putting the near miss in 95/96 and the subsequent play-off qualifications down to the manager.

The Town chairman said that the manager was the "most important job at the football club" and also stressed the importance of stability at the club: "This club is very fortunate in having stability. We have a manager with blue and white in his veins. He and I work closely together and I must stress the importance of partnership."

Sheepshanks said the two talk football with him in the role of keen amateur . He paid tribute to Burley's skills as Town boss: "First and foremost his passion for success. He's an ambitious man, we all want to take Town forward."

Of Burley's success in the transfer market Sheepshanks added: "His judgement of players is extraordinary. He has a brilliant record in the transfer market. He has shown an ability to pick players, not just for skill but on attitude and potential."

Town's passing style and good disciplinary record were also cited by Sheepshanks before he looked to the future: "Now next year is important. We're looking forward. We don't think we've made it, but we've come a long way. It has been a phenomenal season and that has been mainly down to George."

Burley himself was very pleased at the new deal which Sheepshanks said took him into the "higher echelons" of League managers. Burley said: "First of all I must say how delighted I am. The backing of the board and David has been tremendous. Ipswich Town has been a special club to me in a long relationship of over 20 years now. I said when I came here six years ago it was a dream come true. Last season was a dream come true and this season it has just got better and better."

He paid tribute to his players: "The players nave been superb" and the club as a whole: "What makes Ipswich so special is the tremendous environment to work in."

The club's success for Burley has been: "A team effort, starting at the top with the chairman." and he too stressed the importance of stability: "Keeping that stability is important. Almost everyone in the first team squad has signed new deals."

Like Sheepshaks he said he was not getting carried away with this season's success: "Our feet are on the ground and there is lots to be done and lots to be worked on."

Negotiations had been going on for a few weeks and Sheepshanks denied that the recent press speculation had anything to do with the new deal. The Town chairman referred to the Rangers story, but said that the club were merely rewarding success as they had with the players. He re-iterated his plan for the next three years: "In the next three years we will look to establish ourselves in the Premiership and compete in Europe."

He added that: "It's the long-term future that matters. The primary aim is to keep building in the Premiership. The last six years have been training for what is to come."

Photo: Action Images

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