Ipswich Town: Cameron Burgess on hitting 100 appearances

In a team full of feelgood stories, Cameron Burgess might be the best.

The big defender's story arc at the Blues has been movie-worthy - from the high of signing in that crazy Demolition Man summer to the nadir of getting run ragged by League Two strikers in that infamous FA Cup defeat at Barrow.

Throw a serious facial injury into the mix, one which required numerous screws to repair, and Burgess is proof of the adage which states that while tough times never last, tough people do.

These days, he's one of the first names on the team sheet, an Australian international and a brick wall at the back. He made his 100th appearance for Town in the derby day defeat at Norwich.

While that was a deflating day, reaching his century is a source of pride for Burgess.

Cameron Burgess has battled through some tough times at Town (Image: Warren Page)
“It’s a privilege to be able to play 100 games for this football club, in front of these fans," he enthused. "Every time you get a chance to play here at Portman Road it’s a special occasion.

“So that’s something to reflect on maybe when I’ve finished playing more than now, and it will be a really proud moment.

“Obviously I’ve taken a little chance to reflect on it and think about and be proud of it in the moment – but we’re in the thick of something really special for this football club.

“It’s not really about me, it’s about this team and keeping pushing forward as a club.”

That special thing to which Burgess refers is, of course, their unlikely, against all odds, fairy-tale chase for the Premier League.

Remarkably, with four games to go, it's in Town's hands - win them all, and they're up.

“That would be the icing on the cake, and that’s exactly what we’re going for," Burgess explained.

“You’ve got to try and win games, that’s all we know how to do. If we can go and try to win these last four games, like we’re going to try to do, then who knows – let’s see what happens.”

Town clinched promotion last season with a 19-game unbeaten run, so is that something the Blues can lean on for confidence as the race really heats up? 

Town are chasing an unlikely second straight promotion (Image: PA)
“It’s an experience to draw on," Burgess opined. "For me personally I feel like we’re still in that phase, although we had a break in the summer.

“We’re still in that phase and carrying on that journey. We’ve got plenty of experience to fall back on.

"We’ve had games where we’ve not done things in the right way, then we go and correct that in the next game.

“That’s the type of group we have and it’s a credit to all the boys in that dressing room, and the staff who give us all the details.

“We keep going, learn from our mistakes, keep punching, keep going and trying to win games.

“That’s all we know how to do, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing.”

He added: "What other teams do, we can’t really control. If you look at it, things are in our hands, so we’re going to do what we do – go into every game trying to win every game, like we always have done.

“Hopefully, if we keep doing the right things, then things will happen for us.”

Cameron Burgess is an Australian international (Image: PA)
Success with Town has made Burgess an Australian international, and he got his first taste of a big international tournament in the Asian Cup back in January.

Of that, he said: "Another really good experience for me personally - to go to a major international tournament is a great experience and I’m really enjoying my time playing for Australia as well.

“To be able to do that is a proud moment, and obviously it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve been able to do the right things for this club and do things at club level first.

“I owe a lot to my team-mates and the staff here who have helped me get to that level.

“It was a really proud moment – but it’s thanks to them for getting me there.”