Town manager George Burley last night accepted his award at the League Managers' Association dinner and quickly praised his players and staff. Alex Ferguson and David O'Leary were named as runners-up while Garard Houllier was given a special award by Nationwide, the sponsors.

Burley said of the award: "I'm extremely proud to win this award. There are so many fantastic managers in the Premiership, I feel lucky to have been selected. Other managers have acheived so much it must have been very close."

Of his players and staff the Town boss said: "These type of awards are won as part of a team. It is performances on the field which win accolades like this and I have a wonderful squad of players and coaching staff. It is a real team effort from the playing staff, the directors and everyone else invloved in the club."

George Burley has added denials to more of the recent transfer links. Yesterday he refuted suggestions he was after Stoke's Brynjar Gunnarsson and now it seems neither Eidur Gudjohnsen not Manchester City's Laurent Charvet will be on their way to Portman Road.

There certainly has been interest in Gudjohnsen at some time with Bolton's chairman Phil Gartside recently revealing a swap deal proposed by Town for Gudjohnsen and Claus Jensen last summer: "Ipswich came on to us for both Eidur Gudjohnsen and Claus Jensen last summer. They couldn't actually meet our valuation but they offered us players in exchange. I won't name them because it wouldn't be right, but I can tell you that the players we were offered have done really well in the Premiership!"

Recently there have been widespread reports that Town were targeting Gujohnsen again, with some reports even suggesting a failed bid before deadline day. Any interest George Burley had now seems to have declined.

The lack of denials does tend to suggest that the recent links with Gert Verheyen and Pablo Couñago may be closer to the mark.

Town will play their first European game in 20 years on Thursday September 13th with the second leg on September 27th. The provisional date for the draw is on Friday August 24th. By then we will already be in the think of another Premiership season.

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