Ipswich Town's Kevin Beattie statue unveiling date revealed

The statue aims to capture Kevin Beattie performing one of the strengths he was known for - leaping for a header

A statue of an Ipswich Town footballing legend will be unveiled the week before Christmas, organisers confirmed.

Kevin Beattie, voted Ipswich's greatest player by fans, died from a heart attack in September 2018, aged 64.

Work on the bronze sculpture of "The Beat" by Sean Hedges-Quinn had been delayed by the pandemic.

It will be unveiled outside the club's Portman Road ground on Saturday, 18 December, which would have been Beattie's 68th birthday.

Money for the statue of Beattie, who also played for England, was raised through a fundraising appeal held in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk, local newspapers and the TWTD website.

Fans helped raise £110,000 for the sculpture of the defender, which was meant to be unveiled on 2 May 2020.

Beattie in action for Ipswich against Barcelona in the Uefa Cup in November 1977

Brad Jones, editor of the East Anglian Daily Times, who led the statue campaign, said: "It's taken a massive community effort, and this will be a fitting memorial.

"It is an amazing statue, an action pose of The Beat leaping for a header, and it really captures his power and athleticism in his prime."

Kevin Beattie, known for his ability in the air, is captured leaping for the ball in the maquette by Sean Hedges-Quinn

Among those attending the unveiling will be members of Beattie's family, former team-mates and the sculptor.

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Football fans who crowdfunded for the campaign have also been invited to the ceremony, which will take place between 09:30 and 11:00 GMT, ahead of the League One match against Sunderland, which kicks-off at 15:00.

Kevin Beattie was a regular on BBC Radio Suffolk

The sculpture will be placed outside the stadium, near existing statues of former Ipswich Town and England managers Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey, both of which were also made by sculptor Mr Hedges-Quinn.

Beattie, who grew up in Carlisle, won nine international caps and was a central figure in Robson's team that won the FA Cup in 1978 and Uefa Cup in 1981, but his career was cut short by injuries.

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