FORMER Blues boss Sir Bobby Robson has severed one of his final links with Ipswich by moving out of his home in the town. The 70-year-old who presided over the most successful period in the club's history, spent Friday loading boxes onto a removal van bound for the north east.

FORMER Blues boss Sir Bobby Robson has severed one of his final links with Ipswich by moving out of his home in the town.

The 70-year-old who presided over the most successful period in the club's history, spent Friday loading boxes onto a removal van bound for the north east.

He said: "I'm extremely sad to be leaving. I've had a house here since 1982 but I've returned to my roots now. My life is there, my job is there and so it makes sense for me to move up there.

"I'm sad about it but I've got to think of the next ten years of my life and that will probably be in Newcastle."

Despite hiring a removal firm to complete the move, the Newcastle United boss even helped them complete it, piling boxes into the back of the van.

He joked: "I've hired two blokes to do the move and I suppose I should let them get on with it but I can't just stand here and watch."

Sir Bobby, whose statue stands in Portman Road, first moved to Constitution Hill in 1982 after living in Capel St Mary and Bentley.

"I moved to this house to be nearer the club. The club was my life and I wanted to be near to it so I moved here in May 1982, but then I got the England job in June."

After relinquishing his role as Ipswich Town manager after 13 glorious years, Sir Bobby and his wife Elsie have made regular return visits over the years.

He said: "I lived here when I was England manager for eight years, but then I went abroad in 1990 and I was away for the best part of ten years. In that time I didn't really live here, except for about two months every summer. Then I came back in 1999, possibly to retire, but to see what was going to happen and then Newcastle came up.

"I've loved this house but I haven't really lived in it for years. My job doesn't really allow me to keep coming down. If you look around the back, the garden is still in great condition and the house is wonderful but it's costing me money to keep it maintained," he added.

He said the recent burglary of his home, in which he lost several of his prized England caps, had no bearing on his decision to move.

Although Sir Bobby is moving to the north east, it is not known how much he has sold his house for.

He said: "I'll still come back down to Ipswich. I've still got lots of friends here and I've got a deep love for the club."

A spokesman for Frasers Estate Agents in Queen Street, Ipswich said properties in the area normally sell for between £300,000 and £400,000.

He said: "There's a big demand for that area and it is very rare for properties to come up, normally just once a year. It's a sought after and well known address so people would always be interested."

Sir Bobby added he would be making regular return visits and tipped his old club for promotion next season.

"I think next year could be their season. It would be great to see them back in the Premier League - and great for me because it would mean I'd be able to come back to Ipswich."

Sir Bobby, who has returned to Portman Road as manager only twice in more than 20 years, said he thought his former team had been unlucky to miss out on the play-offs last season."