COLCHESTER United legend Steve Foley is back home and on the comeback trail after spending eight weeks in hospital.

Lawford-based Foley collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital with what turned out to be pancreatitis - a condition characterised by inflammation of the pancreas.

He spent two months in hospital but is now back home recovering and regaining his strength.

“It’s been a rough time," said the long-serving former U’s midfielder, coach and caretaker manager, who has spent the best part of half-a-century in the game and still works within Ipswich Town’s Academy.

"I was very poorly and have lost three stones in weight.

“But I’m back home now after eight weeks in hospital and feel like I’m getting fitter and stronger every day.”

Ironically, Foley's condition was something Ipswich Town legend and former England international Kevin Beattie - who passed away on Sunday, following a suspected heart attack - was diagnosed with and recovered from in March 1991.

Foley has described pal Beattie as “priceless” – and believes that in today’s market he would be the most expensive defender in the world.

He said: “Kevin was a year younger than me and coming through the ranks at Ipswich when I was doing the same at Colchester.

“We later worked together and became friends and he was a great bloke and a great player.

“I shudder to think what he’d be worth in today’s market.

“£100 million maybe?

“He’d be the most expensive defender in the world and I’ve got no doubt teams would pay silly money for him, because he was priceless.

“The main thing he had going for him was his strength but he was also very quick with the most unbelievable leap.

“I always remember playing against him in a testimonial for Roy Massey.

“We both went up for a high ball.

“I’m 6ft so a tall man myself but – and this is no exaggeration – Kevin’s feet were up level with my shoulders.

“He had a hell of a jump on him and it was an extraordinary talent.”

Foley believes Beattie was ahead of his time in terms of the art of defending.

“We hear so much nowadays about defenders bringing the ball forward out but Kevin was doing that years ago,” said Clacton-born Foley.

“He’d ghost past people, never giving them a sniff, and he was about far more than defending.

“If I was picking my all-time football team, he would be my first-choice defender.”

Foley says Beattie was just as great off the pitch as he was on it.

“He liked a laugh and was just a fantastic man,” he said.

“And the word ‘fantastic’ in that sentence deserves to be in capital letters.

“He was unbelievable and had time for everyone.

“He was a superstar and I was in awe of him, even though he was the most normal, grounded and humble man you could ever wish to meet in your life.”