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The 68-year-old, a promotion-winning ex-boss and decorated former player for the Blues, revealed his diagnosis in September.
And, speaking about his illness for the first time in a chat with Brenner Woolley on BBC Radio Suffolk, Burley explained that he’s already undergone six rounds of chemotherapy.
Burley is an Ipswich Town legend as both player and boss “Yeah, I’m good,” he said. “It’s been a difficult time. I wasn’t very well for a few months and then I got a diagnosis of cancer and it was a was case of where do we go from there?
“I’ve been fortunate, I’ve been through six cycles of chemo and that’s gone well, to shrink the tumour, and my next step is getting an operation.
“I’m speaking to the specialists later in the week to try and sort out a date. So it’s one step at a time but at the moment I’m feeling well – I played golf today and enjoyed that, so that was good getting out.
“And I’ve been to every Ipswich home game, so it hasn’t stopped me. It was a big shock, but having my family behind me has been immense – they’ve supported me and kept me positive.
“So I want to just get this operation done and move on from there.”
Burley celebrates Town’s famous win at Wembley in 2000 (Image: Archant) Asked if getting his cancer diagnosis was scary, Burley replied: “Well it is scary, but that’s life.
“There’s always somebody worse off than yourself.
“I’ve always been fairly positive. I had a really bad injury when I was a player and got told in 80/81 that I would never play football again and I managed to get to a World Cup Finals in ’82 so as I say, my family give me strength and I’m always fairly positive day in and day out.
“I’ve been lucky to have that and now, as I say, the next step is to have an operation and hopefully that will happen in the next two or three weeks.”
George Burley says that Town boss Kieran McKenna is among those at the club now who have sent him well wishes (Image: PA) Burley said he’d heard from many friends in the game since his diagnosis, including current Town boss Kieran McKenna.
“People I haven’t spoken to in ten or 15 years have texted me to say how are you, so that’s been great,” he enthused.
“Everybody round the area and even one or two players from Ipswich Town – and Kieran – have texted me as well to wish me luck and a quick recovery.
“So that’s been very kind of everybody.”
Burley stressed that keeping positive during his treatment was fundamental to his approach in facing the disease.
He said: “They’re talking about one in every two people will get cancer at some point in their life, so you’ve got to deal with it.
“The only way you deal with it is face on, be positive and make sure you do everything possible to recover, do what the medics tell you to do and keep yourself lively and fit, eat the right food and do the right things.”
Burley played 500 games for Town (Image: Archant) Burley has been involved in more matches than anyone in the club’s history – 500 as a player and 413 as a manager.
A right-back, he was a key man during an era in which the Blues won the FA Cup (1978) and UEFA Cup (1981). The Scot then returned to lead the team to a Championship Play-Off Final win in 2000 at Wembley and a subsequent fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
And that remarkable history is celebrated in a new book, All to Play For, written by Neil Prentice in association with Burley.
“A lad called Neil Prentice came and spoke to me a few months ago to say that he’s been looking at my career and kept detail,” Burley explained.
“I’ve been involved in 913 games as a manager and a player, which I didn’t realise.
“500 appearances I did as a player and 413 as a manager. So that’s the most anybody has been involved and he wanted to do a thing for the Ipswich fans.
“I live in Ipswich, been back here 11 years. I went to a few different clubs but I came to Ipswich when I was 15-years-old, went through the youth policy, played 500 games from ’72 to ’82.
“So I’ve been an Ipswich man virtually my whole life and to have that many games involved with the club has been incredible.
“I’ve enjoyed doing it – but Neil’s done all the hard work and spoken to 20 to 25 ex-players and people who have been around the club.
“My family as well, my wife and David Sheepshanks – so there’s a lot involved and he’s really done a top job.”
George Burley, right, celebrates winning the FA Cup with Town in 1978 (Image: Archant) He added: “Being the manager was a dream job for myself, finishing fifth in the Premiership in my first season, which is still a record. We won 11 home games and nine away games and then I won manager of the year.
“So a lot of highs and great memories, and I’m still walking the dog in Ipswich park and being among the community, which I really enjoy.
“All my family are settled here and looking forward to going to every game at Portman Road.”
You can buy All to Play For at georgeburleybook.com
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The 60-year-old decided to leave his job at the helm of Birmingham City in February, having been diagnosed with the illness ‘out of the blue.’
Speaking with BBC Radio Tees, the man who scored one of the goals for the Blues at Wembley in their famous Play-off Final win over Barnsley in 2000 admitted that the past 12 months have been incredibly hard.
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Tony Mowbray celebrates his goal for Town at Wembley in 2000 (Image: Archant) “It’s been the toughest year of my life, of our lives because you talk as a family really,” he said.
“Out of the blue my illness was diagnosed. I was still Sunderland manager this time a year ago and my house got burgled a year yesterday.
“I was at Sunderland in a board meeting and I got a call from my young son so I left that meeting and raced home to see the house full of police officers and everything.
“So the start of this year started really badly for us as a family. And then pretty strangely – but I understand football – I lost my job at Sunderland.
“I then had an amazing phone call and meeting about joining Birmingham City and the plans that football club had, they saw me as the guy who could bring that together and take that on a journey hopefully back to the Premier League and I was happy to do that.
“And then my world came crashing down really. I’d had a doctors’ appointment through the League Managers Association to go to Manchester to have a check over – you have one every year, like a full-body MOT really, everything, your hearing, your eyesight, everything.
“And I went along and out of the blue… part of it was having a colonoscopy, because I’d mentioned that I was having some issues.
“The way I would go to the toilet had changed so they had a look and I got diagnosed with bowel cancer out of nowhere really.
“It’s quite shattering. Unfortunately ten days later I was in a hospital bed in Manchester having a ten-hour operation and my life changed really.”
Tony Mowbray decided to leave his job at Birmingham City to focus on his recovery from cancer (Image: PA Sport) Mowbray, who played more than 150 games for Town before retiring after that play-off final win, spoke candidly about his recovery, revealing that he was ‘very, very ill.’
“When you get an illness like I’ve got it’s about the family really,” he explained.
“I remember sitting in a hospital bed in Manchester and my kids had tears in their eyes, not sure if I was going to get through it or not to be honest – I was very, very ill.
“I did come home from that and there was a period when I was very up and down. Some days I was feeling great and other days I would collapse and black out and find myself on the kitchen floor.
“I sat down with my wife and phoned the chief executive at Birmingham and told him that health and family is what life’s about and I need to get myself right so I left that job.
“I would like to say on record that both Sunderland and Birmingham City have been amazing to me.
“It’s been a year without work, without money, and yet those football clubs have looked after me and honoured the contracts that I’d signed.
“That’s quite humbling that people are giving me money, not for working for them, but because I signed a contract in good faith and they deserve a mention that they’ve been so fantastic for me and my family.”
Tony Mowbray played more than 150 games for Town (Image: Archant) And Mowbray insisted he will return to the game he loves so much.
“I still have issues, I still at this moment am not 100% ready for work,” he admitted.
“I’m thinking in a couple of months hopefully my body will settle down after a recent operation that I had and I do want to go back to work.
“Football’s in my blood, it’s what I do. I want to get involved with a group of young men and talk to them about life and football and what it takes to be a winner and get to the next level, the sacrifices you have to make and try to inspire them with some of the stories I tell about life and fighting and work and quality and talent.
“That’s what I want to do, somewhere down the line – my body’s not quite ready yet.”
Mowbray also urged anyone who is having symptoms of illness to go to a doctor – with a special emphasis on men who may otherwise ignore the signs.
Tony Mowbray is planning to return to football when he’s fully recovered (Image: PA Sport) “That’s the strong message,” he stressed. “I spoke to my doctors and what they’re saying is it doesn’t need to happen.
“If there’s something not right, not normal in your life, whether that be prostate and it’s more difficult to go to the toilet… for me it was the back end of my body and it was different.
“It wasn’t that I couldn’t go, it was that it was different and I wanted it checking out.
“And so they stick a camera up and if I didn’t do that I probably would have not been here today or I would have been in a situation where I wouldn’t have been able to have an operation and recover.
“The message from me loud and clear is for men particularly, but this is for both sexes of course.
“I know men generally don’t like to go to the doctor. I feel like I’m a normal working class lad from the North East, I don’t really want to go and see the doctor.
“I’ve been fortunate all my working career to have a club doctor and that’s been a big help – and without that club doctor I might not have been here today.
“The club doctor was ultimately the one who said let’s have a colonoscopy.
“So if there’s something not normal, don’t be afraid to go and see your doctor. Make an appointment, I know they’re difficult sometimes to get, but make one and go and have a chat with the doctor.
“And if they think colonoscopy or they want to do a test for your prostate, it’s worth it because it’s not only you, think about your family.
“If you’ve got kids, they want to see their dad until he’s an old man so they can take him on holiday or push him around in a wheelchair or whatever it might be.
“But it’s about your family – that’s what I found sitting in that bed in Manchester and making a big decision to leave a job and have no money coming in, because I needed to be ready and in that life for them, and for my wife.”
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Those are the words of Saints hero Morgan Schneiderlin following his long-awaited St Mary’s homecoming.
The French midfielder, who retired earlier this year, pulled on the red and white of Southampton once more to take part in a charity game on Sunday.
He had returned to St Mary’s three times as an opposition player prior to hanging up his boots but admitted those occasions “never felt the same.”
Schneiderlin is undoubtedly a Saints legend having earned promotion from League One into the Premier League before helping the club establish themselves in the top flight.
It was during his spell on the south coast that he earned a call-up to represent France at the World Cup – a dream he held from his childhood.
Leaving Saints was a difficult decision. And while he admitted his move to Manchester United did not go to plan, he opts to live life without regrets.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, nearly 10 years later, he said: “It was difficult. At that stage of my career, I wanted to give myself the opportunity to live my dreams.
“I played in the World Cup and I joined a club who would allow me to play in the Champions League and win trophies.
“I did that with Manchester United, I won some trophies, but it didn’t turn out how I wanted it to. Of course, when you look back you ask ‘Should I have made another decision?’
“I say I should live with no regrets. I was thinking at the time that it was the best decision, based on the size of the club.
“I am forever grateful to play for a club like this, but, you can say if I made a different decision then god knows (what could have happened).
“I came here as a boy and I left as a man. I grew as much as a player as I did as a man. This club was like a second family to me. It means a lot. I will always be grateful.
Schneiderlin collected a lot of fond memories during his playing career. He represented France 15 times and was called up for two major tournaments.
He is a Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup winner from his time at Manchester United – but it is a game from his Saints tenure that sticks out most in his memory.
“The promotion from League One into the Premier League was amazing. I will always remember this game against Coventry,” he recalled.
Saints thrashed Coventry 4-0 on the final day of the season to seal promotion to the Premier League at the first attempt.
“Going down to League One was very difficult. At that moment, the club kept me. That gave me the sense that they wanted to do something big.
“The feeling I had on the pitch after that game against Coventry was the best feeling I have ever had in my life.
“It was a dream come true to play in the Premier League. It was a privilege to share the pitch with big players and prove myself in the Premier League.”
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Saints stayed in the Premier League for 11 seasons following that promotion – Schneiderlin remained at the club for three of them.
That was despite a difficult start to their return to the Premier League, not too dissimilar from the current Saints team.
In Schneiderlin’s eyes, the togetherness the group had is what carried them through and ultimately helped them finish 14th – five points clear of relegation.
“The team spirit helped us stay up in the first season. We had a very good team, we had qualities.
“We didn’t start the season very well but then we had a very good game here against Swansea.
“We were away with the gaffer for two or three days. We were talking with each other and then it clicked afterwards.
“We had confidence. Some of the players felt like they belonged in the Premier League. The turning point was when we brought in Pochettino.
“He was a big thing for us. He made us understand better. Nigel Adkins was a very good manager, but Pochettino made us even better players.”
Schneiderlin is now exploring his post-playing career options. The 34 year old is currently taking his coaching badges while also working for French TV as a pundit.
Sunday’s charity game at St Mary’s was actually the first time he had played since hanging up his boots.
The former Nice and Everton man admitted he has consciously avoided playing football, save for a kickabout with his son.
“I love watching football but I wanted to do something else,” he concluded. “I’m doing a lot of things in football but I don’t play anymore. You need a break after – everyone has their own feeling.
“My feeling was that I wanted to do something else, other sports, other things. I wanted to forget touching the ball for a little bit.
“Passing my coaching badges is about giving myself a chance to be a manager and help players. I want to give it a go as a manager but we will see what opportunities come along.
“I will make a choice, but right now, I’m trying to make myself better in every department. I want to understand management and coaching.”
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Enock Mwepu plans to remain in football after announcing his retirement as a player.
The Albion midfielder has hung up his boots due to a concerns over a hereditary heart condition.
He was a few weeks into his second season with the Seagulls after shining for RB Salzburg.
Mwepu, 24, was a sporting hero to many back in Zambia and captained the national team.
In a statement released today, he wrote: “A boy from a small Zambian township called Chambishi has some news to share. He stood strong to follow his dream of playing football at the highest level, and by the grace of God he lived his dream by reaching the Premier League.
“Some dreams however come to an end, so it is with sadness I announce the need to hang up my boots because of medical advice I have received. This is however not the end of my involvement with football, I plan to stay involved in some capacity.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported me in my football journey, including my wife and family, my agent 12MAN, the Zambian FA, all my previous clubs, team-mates and coaches, and especially everyone at Brighton & Hove Albion.”
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RALPH Hasenhuttl has insisted 35-year-old Shane Long can “keep on going in the summer”, despite his Saints contract coming to an end.
He could yet sign renewed terms, but the Irishman looks set to exit St Mary’s after eight years with the club following the conclusion of his deal next month.
The veteran forward has played 344 Premier League matches across his career, scoring 56 goals – although only one of those has come in the last two seasons.
Long netted twice in 19 appearances across all competitions this campaign – in the FA Cup at Swansea City and versus Everton in the league.
And Hasenhuttl thinks the forward can continue playing into next season, where he will turn 36.
“From the physical side it is definitely possible for him to keep on going in the summer, definitely,” the Austrian told the Daily Echo.
“He is very robust and when you are so quick, yeah you lose a little bit when you get older, but still quick enough for playing as a striker. It is no coincidence that he has played so many games in the Premier League.”
Hasenhuttl, who retired from his role as a striker when he was almost 37, continued: “We speak about a different level when I stopped my game – not on this level, I never played on this level, so I do not want to compare him to me.
“But I know how it feels when you come to 35, 36 or 37 as a player. I must say that I absolutely love this game to play, and that is the reason why I tried to play for as long as possible.
“I think he does the same, he loves this game, he loves to compete, he loves to come here and train every day. It is something extraordinarily beautiful.
“He still wants to learn, wants to get better and still wants to improve his game. This is the most beautiful job – better than being a manager!”
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RALPH Hasenhuttl has told German media that he intends to end his coaching career at the expiration of his Saints contract in 2024.
The 54-year-old signed a four-year contract to remain with the St Mary’s outfit in June 2020.
If he was to fulfil that contract, he would have spent a total of five-and-a-half years as manager of Saints in the Premier League.
Speaking to Kicker, he reveals that his intention is to end his coaching career then – and he has told new owners Sport Republic.
“That’s the plan and I hope I have the strength to go through with it,” he said.
“I told the new owners that I wanted to put the club on a very healthy footing over the next two-and-a-half years, but that was it.”
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Explaining his surprise decision, the Austrian added: “Five and a half years in the Premier League, that’s a lot of energy, regardless of job satisfaction.
“I can’t imagine that I want to do anything else in the coaching job after that. I achieved my big goal of getting into the Premier League.
“In the motherland of football, being able to coach what is perhaps the best league in the world is a privilege that I am aware of every day.”
The former international striker, Hasenhuttl, has also managed the likes of Ingolstadt and Red Bull Leipzig in a touchline career that started back in 2007.
Hasenhuttl was appointed Saints manager in December 2018 on a two-and-a-half-year deal, succeeding Mark Hughes when they were in the bottom three and successfully steering them to safety.
BRAVE Sam McQueen detailed the mental struggle he went through whilst battling his physical injuries – admitting that it “ruined me for a certain amount of time”.
An ACL tear suffered whilst playing on loan for Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup eventually proved too much to overcome, with multiple setbacks leading to around nine surgeries since McQueen suffered the injury in October 2018.
This week the Saints academy product announced his retirement after a three-and-a-half year fight to return to competitive football.
In a frank and open interview with Saints’ website, the Southampton-born 26-year-old said: “I didn’t maintain a positive attitude.
“I became quite depressed and (had) probably six months of counselling which was much needed and helped me a little bit, but I still wasn’t able really to be there for my family.
“Open and happy to say now that that I wasn’t capable at the time to deal with those things.
“I thought I was capable to (do) anything.
“I thought I was Superman when I was playing football and playing Premier League football.
“I was completely unaware that I had no capability to deal with any emotional or personal traumas.
“It ruined me for a certain amount of time, and it’s taken three years for my mind to start to process it, and start to feel like myself a bit again.
“(It’s) new – it’s a new challenge. I’ve not had anything like this before.”
Whilst suffering an ACL tear can keep players out for up to 12 months in some cases, it is also associated with a host of complications that can delay or even prevent a return to the field.
McQueen’s recovery was constantly hampered, eventually forcing him to retire from the game he loves.
He continued: “(It was) Bad luck. Bad timing. Bad management from me.
“Week before Christmas, I started getting hot flushes, found out had an infection. So I got rushed up to London to have some emergency surgery to try and flush the infection out of my knee.
“I found out the infection had come back, same infection, so I had to rush up to London again.
“Had to redo the whole operation, taking ligaments in my other leg to try and use to put the knee right there.
“I had that last surgery in July 2019, so from November 2018, to July 2019, it was probably about nine different surgeries I had.”
EMOTIONAL Sam McQueen announced the “incredibly tough decision” to retire from football aged 26.
The Saints defender had not played a competitive fixture since October 2018, during a loan spell at Middlesbrough, where he suffered a serious knee problem.
Having ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament, screws inserted during surgery to help repair the problem became infected, providing a huge setback to the former England under-21 international.
And McQueen has confirmed his time as a player in the professional game has come to an end.
He told the Saints website: “This has been such an incredibly tough decision to make, as I so desperately want to play football again, but I have to do what is right for me and for my family.
“The amount of time I’ve had not on my feet and not running has caused my body to de-condition to such a level that now when I try to join in any parts of training I continually get muscle tears in certain areas and my knee’s not able to cope, so I was advised I wouldn’t be able to play football for much longer if I did manage to get back fit.”
Most expected the Saints academy graduate to be among the list of players released by the club last summer upon the expiry of his contract, but his name was not included.
Instead, he was handed a new short-term deal which allowed him to continue training at the club.
He was even listed in the club’s Premier League squad list for the first half of the season.
McQueen added: “The club have been fantastic and the support I have had around me has been amazing.
“I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my time at the club, and that has been nice. It’s made me realise how much a part of my life this club is and how much it means to me.
“It’s been like a father figure in a way. It’s given me guidance, it’s given me things to try to achieve, and it’s pushed me and encouraged me.”
Born in Southampton, McQueen signed for Saints’ academy at the age of eight.
He went on to make 29 appearances at senior level for the south coast side, including three in the Europa League.
“I’m very proud of the things that I have achieved here,” he added.
“I’m sad that there wasn’t more, but later in life I’ll be able to look back on the memories I have, of playing against Inter Milan, being around a Premier League team and travelling with the squad and the passion of the fans at the games.
“Now I’m going to try to make the most of the rest of the life that I’ve got. The world’s my oyster. I can do anything I want really, and I’m excited about that.
“I’m sad that football might end, but the options out there in the world I’m starting to open my mind up to and looking forward to it, just trying to cherish it with my family, partner and children.”
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He is set to move into a coaching role within the EFL.
Elphick, from Woodingdean, made his name with the Seagulls after coming through the youth set-up under the guidance of Dean Wilkins.
He went on to captain Bournemouth and Aston Villa but suffered a serious knee injury while with his last club Huddersfield.
He was the first Albion player to sign a contract taking him into the club’s arrival at the Amex.
But a ruptured Achilles on the final day of the 2010-11 season meant that dream was never fulfilled.
He told The Argus: “My mind is still fresh but my body is very tired.
“I’m nine operations in now and I’m fed up of sitting on a physio’s bench, to be honest.
“I still have a huge desire for football and a love for football and a hunger for football.
“I shall be staying in the game. I need to be out on the grass coaching and having some sort of influence day to day.
“I’m looking forward to that new chapter.
“I’ve always thought my life in football would be 30 or 40 years rather than a 15 or 20-year playing career.
“I’ve got to the stage now where I’d rather be a young coach than an old, declining player.”
In an extensive interview with The Argus, Elphick – who turns 34 next month – has spoken about his career and the influence of coaches and senior players at Albion.
He reveals the moment he thought his career was over while with the Seagulls.
He gives his specialist insight into the challenge facing Shane Duffy and looks at the evolving challenges of the centre-back role.
BRIGHTON PREPARE TO FACE WATFORD
And, as Albion prepare for a League Cup trip to Cardiff, he recalls how the same fixture 14 years ago kick-started his career.
The interview will appear in The Argus and online tomorrow.
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has admitted that he contemplated an early retirement in 2001 after a defeat caused him to believe he couldn’t cope at the top level anymore. Roy Keane said: “I lost my temper, we were losing 4-3, I think, in the last minute. If you’re going to get sent off,…
Everton’s youngest ever player Jose Baxter has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 29. Jose Baxter wrote: “Today I announce my retirement from football I write this today with lots of mixed emotions. But let me tell you about my roller coaster career. From being a kid from council estate with…
Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray felt it was the right time to hang up his boots.
Read more: Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray announces his retirement
But Murray was content with the decision to end his playing career.
He said: “I feel as though the time is right and I wanted to retire at a good level.
“I’ve had a lot of good years in the game, but this seems the right time to call it a day.
“I am getting off the football merry-go-round, the structure of being told what to do for 20 years.
“I am looking forward to making some of my own decisions I suppose!”
But Murray now looks to set to do more media work rather than go into coaching.
He said: “I have got a lot of options, there are a lot of things going on in the background.
“The media work is something I want to pursue and I am looking forward to starting a new chapter of my life.
“Give me six months, a year and I might miss it so much that I want to give back to the club in some capacity as a coach.
“But at the moment that isn’t the route I am going down.”
Former Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37. The lethal finisher played a pivotal role in getting Palace promoted to the Premier League in the 2012/13 season, scoring 30 goals in a season to take the club to the brink of the promised land. His contribution…
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How are you feeling after your final home game? Yeah I don’t know. I’m a bit drained, I suppose. It’s been such a fantastic couple of days I’ve been really quite knocked over by all the kind words and everything that happened here tonight. And yet I’ve seen us lose a game in the last…
Why now? What has made you come to this decision? It’s quite a moment. Yeah, it is of course, you’re quite right. It is a decision which hasn’t exactly been taken overnight. It’s really been brewing a long time. It’s been at the back of my mind that it might be the right time to…
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Kasper Schmeichel has revealed how Esteban Cambiasso “was a manager already” during his one-season spell at Leicester City. The Argentinian cult hero helped City secure an unfathomable escape from Premier League relegation during his sole campaign at the King Power Stadium, with his influential performances earning him the player of the season award. The Dane picked Cambiasso…
Leicester City title-winner Robert Huth is learning to become a sporting director after growing “sick of people telling me what to do” as a player. The German centre-back, a vital cog in the City side that survived in 2015 and triumphed in 2016, is studying for a degree that will help him build a career in…
Manchester United finally ended their 26-year wait to lift the premier league and it looked like that they were banking on their youth set up to provide them with the ammunition for another strong season. After much speculation, Roy Keane finally arrived at Old Trafford in the move of the summer. Manchester United paid an…
Arsenal were the favourites to win the inaugural premier league under George Graham. But the change in the back pass rule had affected them the most along with Liverpool and they could not recover from the early season setbacks to finish 10th in the table. But they compensated a poor league showing by winning two…
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In a sensational statement, Brian Clough made a huge u-turn by claiming that he wasn’t going to retire. The outgoing manager said that he had “shelved the plans to retire.” Clough had shocked the soccer world last week with the news that he would retire at the end of the season, insists he will not…
Even before the dust of two of the biggest names at Nottingham Forest had not settled down, Nigel Clough said that he feared that a huge exodus at Forest was impending post the relegation. Brian Clough had already stepped down as the club manager after 18 years at the helm and star midfielder Roy Keane…
