IPSWICH Town manager Jim Magilton took a break yesterday when he played in the Mackenzie Sir Bobby Robson Golf Classic in Portugal.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town manager Jim Magilton took a break yesterday when he played in the Mackenzie Sir Bobby Robson Golf Classic in Portugal.

He was joined by Blues first team coach Bryan Klug at the Vila Sol spa and golf resort in Vilamoura.

There were 30 teams of celebrity players in a prestigious event that is expected to raise over 50,000 euros for the Aboim Ascensão children's refuge in Faro.

Ironically, Magilton was a member of a team captained by Charlie Woods, who is his advisor at Portman Road.

Woods worked for Robson for many years - at Ipswich and at Newcastle - and has played in this event before.

Among the other celebrities due to tee off in the Portuguese sunshine yesterday were Alan Shearer, Kenny Dalglish, Peter Shilton, Andy Townsend, Robert Lee and Benfica legend Humberto Coelho.

Former Town boss Robson was back in Ipswich in May when a highly successful 1978 FA Cup final reunion was staged with every squad member bar keeper Paul Cooper returning for an open-top bus trip around town and a gala dinner at the Corn Exchange.

This is the fifth time Robson has arranged this golfing event, and it has been staged at the Vila Sol resort since 2004.

In those five years celebrities like Sir Alex Ferguson, Gary Lineker, David Seaman, Peter Schmeichel, and Robson himself have taken part.

The golf was followed by a gala evening, which featured an auction to raise extra money.

Ipswich Town owner Marcus Evans' company were expected to enter a team, and with employees of the group joining in the fun with Magilton, Klug and Woods.

The Town manager is due back at Portman Road on Monday when moves on the transfer front are expected with the Blues making no secret of their intention to bring in a goalkeeper, defender and 20-goal a season front man.