George Burley is something of an Ipswich legend.

He played for the Tractor Boys between 1973 and 1985, winning the UEFA Cup and FA Cup as well as finishing second in Division One.

As a manager he was there for eight years, earning three play-off spots before finally getting into the Premier League, where he once again guided them to Europe. He's a big deal round those parts.

He's waded into the current issue of the vacant manager's role, with Mick McCarthy set to leave Portman Road at the end of the season. Lincoln City's Danny Cowley has been mentioned as a replacement, as has Shrewsbury's Paul Hurst, but Burley believes the next manager should be an Ipswich old boy.

“If you asking me who I would say, I would say go and get Tony Mowbray,” Burley told the Green'Un. “He played under me for five years and he was my assistant when we finished fifth in the Premier League. He knows the philosophy of the club and was brought up with a certain manner of playing the game."

54-year old Mowbray finished his career at Portman Road and took over as interim manager when George Burley left in 2002. Since then he's managed Hibernian, West Brom, Celtic and Middlesbrough as well as current side Blackburn Rovers, who top League One.

“For me he ticks all the boxes," continued Burley. "Yes, he may be difficult to get given what he’s doing at Blackburn at the moment, but for me (owner) Marcus (Evans) needs to be ambitious and go out there and make it happen."

Burley also said that if he were asked, he'd be delighted to get involved at some level with the Championship side.

“I’ve always said that if Ipswich wanted me to do something, anything, then I would always consider it no matter what. Four years ago I decided to move from London to Ipswich to be nearer my grand kids. I go to all the games and I speak to (managing director) Ian (Milne) regularly, but they have never asked me to get involved.”

The Verdict

Get it done now Marcus Evans, why wait? Obviously, as a Lincoln City fan I have a vested interest in this, but Tony Mowbray is the obvious name in the frame.

He knows the club and the fans, he's played for them and he's doing incredibly well with Blackburn in League One. There's no need to go raiding a little League Two club now, is there?