Former Blues' boss George Burley has blasted the Town board for their running of the club during the latter days of his spell at Portman Road. It is the first time Burley, sacked in October 2002, has spoken about the club's plunge into financial difficulties.

The former full-back, who visits Town with Derby today, says that he felt the problems didn't necessarily have to happen: "It was upsetting that all the foundations that I laid were destroyed, particularly as administration could have been avoided.

"The club had a lot of players which they could have sold. I know that Hermann Hreidarsson was going to go for £3.5m and Matt Holland for £4.5m.

"They had spoken to West Brom and they had spoken to Aston Villa and there is no doubt had the club wanted to sell them they would have gone. If either one of them had been sold Ipswich would not have gone into administration in February for £2m.

"When Darren Ambrose was virtually given away that was the biggest disappointment for me, but Hermann and Matt were also disappointments.

"I sold Marcus Stewart for £2m and Titus Bramble for £5m and then we had those offers for Hermann and Matt. But the club thought they could keep them. It was poor planning."

Burley's comments are likely to increase the pressure on chairman David Sheepshanks, the man seen by many fans as to blame for the club's financial problems.

Unsurprisingly, the chairman saw events at Portman Road somewhat differently from the former boss: "George Burley was a good manager of Ipswich Town for many years and rightly he continues to receive credit and our appreciation for his achievements.

"As is often the case when a manager and club part company there will be differences of opinion and divergent views. As has been stated many times before, the events leading up to administration resulted from a catalogue of extreme and unprecedented circumstances with which the board had to grapple, all of which stemmed from failures on the field, most notably relegation and a dismal start to life in Division One.

"It is very disappointing that he has chosen to make these comments now which are unhelpful and lack foundation."

Burley was an unsecured creditor in the club's Company Voluntary Arrangement, gaining only 5p in the pound of the £3m he was owed on the remainder of a lucrative contract signed in the summer of 2001.

The former boss says he will join Joe Royle for a drink after today's game regardless of result, but will not be doing the same with the club board.

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