SOCCER: Jason Burman will be seeking the best of both worlds this weekend. Tomorrow he will be playing for Ipswich Wanderers at Humber Doucy Lane looking for three points from their local Jewson League Premier Division derby with Woodbridge Town.

By Elvin King

JASON Burman will be seeking the best of both worlds this weekend.

Tomorrow he will be playing for Ipswich Wanderers at Humber Doucy Lane looking for three points from their local Jewson League Premier Division derby with Woodbridge Town.

And on Saturday the 34-year-old central defender will be taking his seat at Portman Road as Ipswich Town take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Premiership.

Burman, a former Colchester United professional, is now a double season ticket holder at Portman Road with his six-year-old son Alex.

"I am winding down my playing career and said at the start of the season that I would help out Wanderers when Ipswich were not playing a home game," said Burman.

"With Ipswich playing a number of Sunday and Monday games I have ended up playing more than I expected.

"I am pleased with my form and Wanderers are happy with the situation. I shall keep my Portman Road tickets next season and still help out Wanderers if they need me."

Wanderers' young defender Sean Bell has transferred to Woodbridge Town where he had a brief spell a couple of seasons ago.

That meant that Burman filled one of the central defensive berths in the 4-0 home victory over Tiptree United last Saturday – and he is expected to hold his place tomorrow night when Bell will be making a quick return to Humber Doucy Lane in a Woodbridge shirt.

Wanderers secretary Martin Head praised the part Burman has played this campaign.

"Some people look at Jason and see him as a roly-poly character with little pace," he said.

"Yet he does an excellent job and has featured in most of our good displays this season. We are happy with the arrangement and so is he.

"Sean is a fine young player and we did not want to see him go. We wish him well."

Recent wins at Felixstowe and Walton United and against Tiptree have lifted Wanderers further away from the drop zone as manager Alan Dilloway looks to keep his side in the Jewson League top flight.

The return of Nick Guyon as player-coach has stabilised things while David Head's move back from Harwich and Parkeston has also proved a success.

James Hollman, the regular keeper for the last two campaigns, is now coaching at Norwich City and is unavailable to play so James McKenna has come out of Sunday football to take over between the sticks.

McKenna was with Wanderers when they won promotion out of the First Division in 1997/98 and is not short of experience or confidence.

Another ex-Wanderers man is also now involved in the professional game. Stuart Ayles is first team physio at Second Division Cambridge United and will have been delighted at this week's news that ex-Felixstowe and Sudbury Town striker John Taylor has had his managerial position at the Abbey Stadium made permanent.

Wanderers should have played Woodbridge on Boxing Day but the match was postponed because of a frozen pitch. It has been re-arranged tomorrow night because both clubs' scheduled league opponents, Swaffham and Dereham, are engaged in re-arranged Norfolk Senior Cup matches.