The campaign to raise funds for a statue of Blues legend Kevin Beattie has hit the £13,000 mark in the first 10 days since its launch.

Led by the EADT and Ipswich Star in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk and TWTD, The Beat Goes On was launched on December 18th on what would have been the Blues legend’s 65th birthday.

The campaign aims to raise the £110,000 required for the statue and additional associated costs.

The Ipswich Town Independent Supporters Trust pledged £5,000 to the fund, the Supporters Club £1,000, while hundreds of fans have made individual donations.

Brad Jones, the editor of the EADT and Ipswich Star, said: “We’re so grateful to everybody who has donated to the appeal.

“The response shows what a special place the Beat has in the hearts of Ipswich Town fans, and there seems to be a real desire to get behind the statue campaign.

“The committee will be meeting again in the new year to discuss some more fundraising plans which we’ll then make public. Thank you, again, to everybody who has donated.

“We’d love it if every season ticket holder could donate a tenner — then we’d nearly be there.”

Town season ticket holder Sean Hedges-Quinn, known as Coach, who sculpted the statues of Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, will be commissioned for the project with preliminary discussions regarding the design having already taken place.

The statue is likely to be placed on the corner of Portman Road and the entrance to the Cattlemarket car park, diagonal to Sir Alf Ramsey and just along from Sir Bobby Robson.

You can make a donation online via the Go Fund Me page or send a cheque made payable to ‘The Beat Goes On’ to Kevin Beattie Statue Appeal, EADT, Portman House, 120 Princes Street, Ipswich, IP1 1RS.

There are also collection buckets at reception at the EADT’s offices and at BBC Radio Suffolk.

Photo: Action Images

afrodids added 17:07 - Dec 27 Why are the fans paying for this? It's the least Evans could do! Put his hand in his pocket and donate the lot!
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Pecker added 19:09 - Dec 27 Worthy, of course he is, but as suggested, I like the idea of a legends wall. Mick Mills, George Burley, Terry Butcher, John Wark etc are also worthy of a statue, but that would be ridiculous. A legends wall would work better. IMHO.
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Sporall added 19:21 - Dec 27 afrodids - I for one will be proud to know i helped fund it when I see it outside Portman Road.
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Northstandveteran added 21:54 - Dec 27 I read a previous post some time ago, that it would be far better that the statue is paid for by the fans, a people's tribute, rather than asking uncle Marcus to dig deep. I liked that thought.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:55 - Dec 28 Maybe I'm out of touch, but £110,000 sounds like hell of a lot for a "statue and associated costs." It might be a bit embarrassing if we can't raise it. I also get the argument that despite the Beat's undoubted status at the club, we don't necessarily want to look like "Statues R Us" at PR. Having said that, I have always thought George Burley ought to stand there together with fellow managers Sir Alf and Sir Bobby (but are statues only normally created of people after they have passed away?) I think Uncle Marcus could certainly provide a contribution to any statues if they do get erected: not the whole amount, as it is the fans' memory first and foremost, but a contribution to make sure it gets done, certainly.

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