Town chief executive Simon Clegg says discussions are continuing with Ipswich Borough Council regarding the back rent owned on the land on which the Blues' Portman Road stadium stands. At an IBC executive meeting in October last year Town were given until December 31st to accept a new payment schedule which would see them begin repaying the £654,702 the council claim they are owed from June 1st in quarterly payments over four years.

Clegg told TWTD that although no agreement had been reached by the deadline, the parties are talking: “I had a meeting with the leader [David Ellesmere] and the chief executive [Russell Williams] before Christmas and we’re making some progress. Discussions are ongoing.”

At the October meeting, Ellesmere said that if the situation remains unresolved, IBC would not take the matter to court until after the end of 2011/12: “If the club continues to refuse to pay what it owes and we do need to proceed to a winding-up order, we would not take the final steps to place the club into administration [which would lead to a 10-point deduction] until after the end of the season.”

However, it appears inconceivable that either party would allow the issue to reach that stage.

In March, it was revealed that the annual rent on the land had jumped by 643% from £15,000 to £111,500, backdated to 2004, the council having initially targeted a rise to £250,000.

While Town have paid the new sum since the rent review was carried out in 2010, they have dug their heels in regarding the additional £654,702 owed from the period back to 2004 when the rent review was initially due, an independent arbitrator having set the new figure, a process which cost the Blues £98,500.

Town argue that IBC’s former chief executive James Hehir, who died in November 2009, made a verbal agreement not to claw back any additional cash from before the initiation of the review, but current chief executive Williams has said there is no evidence of such an agreement.

Clegg has said that the club would ultimately like to own the freehold of the ground, having had previous offers rejected by IBC, with the Ipswich Independent Supporters Trust speaking out against the proposed purchase.

Meanwhile, regarding the opening of the transfer window, Clegg said he didn’t expect any early deals to go through at Portman Road: “There’s nothing imminent but that doesn’t mean that things can’t change soon.”

The window has started slowly on the Town target front. Aside from the weekend links with Alan Smith and Fleetwood frontman Jamie Vardy, the Blues are claimed to have renewed their interest in Millwall midfielder James Henry, at least according to rumours on Lions’ supporters sites and Twitter.

A move for the 22-year-old wouldn’t be a surprise with Town having had two bids for the former Reading trainee rebuffed in the summer.

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett dismissed those offers as “laughable” but since then Henry has been reported to have been involved in a pay dispute with his club.

Meanwhile, Bristol City’s 1-0 victory over Millwall on Tuesday night saw the Blues drop to 20th in the Championship.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

davidsc1971 added 08:27 - Jan 4 NSL - yes sorry, wrong phrase. I'm just trying to point out that a couple of years = acceptable, 6 years = somewhat irresponsible, especially for a public sector authority with objectives to manage taxpayer funds efficiently. Everything stated to date says Town are only objecting on the back of a verbal conversation, so the contract must be watertight - but I'm not surprised that the club are dragging their feet on the back payments.

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Mungo added 08:29 - Jan 4 A verbal agreement from the Head of the Council would be binding, the problem is proving it... As an aside, Barnet FC are being driven out of their home of over 100 years by their council. If you feel any sympathy/solidarity with their fans, please sign the e-petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keeping-barnet-fc-at-underhill/
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WarkyWonderLand added 08:36 - Jan 4 A ship with no captain or rudder crashes in the end. Hope it isn't beloved itfc. Both clegg and jewell should go and have a CEO who has run a football club before and a manager who can organise and create a team. This is bringing me to tears.
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Legend added 08:45 - Jan 4 Soul ripped out of the club, heart has stopped beating. Now all thats left for Evans and Clegg to do is bury the body! Don't give me all this crap people about who Evans saved our club etc etc. We are still 60 million in debt and rising! Ok so back then before Evans we had no money, but we were doing a damn sight better thats for sure!! We had a fantastic youth set up, We had an electric atmosphere at portman road and good crowds,We made progress and we had Magilton, Burley and Royle who cared about the club and to top it all we had players who had passion, guts and who felt proud to wear the shirt. Sheepshanks had his faults but at least the man had the guts to face the media and address us fans instead of hiding away in another country. We had men who had a vast knowledge of football and the 'Ipswich' way. Back then we had a club that was in tune with its fans and cared about their views and opinions unlike now. It's harsh people but this club is finsished under the current set up. Open your eyes!!! The owner does not care about us or our views, he never shows his face which in the football world you can't do. He has never once addressed the media and us fans to tell us his plans, be it a 3,4,5,6 or god knows how many years plan he has. Clegg is the most clueless man we have ever had at ITFC. We have a current manager that is also clueless who believes in bringing in over the hill, injury prone players who once again dont care about the club. Look at the players Burley managed to get here. And the youth players he brought on. The likes of Holland, Mowbray, Magilton, Stewart, Johnson, Reuser, Naylor,Wright, Dyer, Ambrose etc etc. All of those players had guts passion etc. Now look at the current crop that he has spent millions on, None of them are fit enough to lace the the boots of the previous players!! Where is the future heading for this club i ask? Very worrying times!

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itfc1981 added 08:48 - Jan 4 Legend by name, Legend post
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gypo added 08:50 - Jan 4 Gentlemen agreements mean nothing unless It's in writing pay the bill and let's move on.Is nothing simple with this club no more !!!
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davidsc1971 added 09:09 - Jan 4 Also of note is the fact that rent reviews are due every 7 years, if I recall correctly. 2004 +7 years = 2011. Presumably Town are trying to secure the next 7 years rent at the same time, hence it's all dragging out. Or am I way too optimistic that this has even been thought about to date???!!!
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righty added 09:11 - Jan 4 I agree with a previous comment sounds like smoke screen to me giving Chopra £250,.000 but cant or wont pay rent shambles from top to bottom
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Brazils_Hair added 09:14 - Jan 4 Agree fully with posts from RetroBlue, Frase1987 and Legend. If ME gets ownership of the stadia/ground at Portman Road that will be it. Maybe that is what he really wants? Its disgusting how Clegg and ME have been allowed to take us down this road. The Cobbold brothers must be turning in their graves also How the club has the audacity on one hand to bail out Chopra to a tune of £250K to a bunch of gangsters and thenon the other owe IBC all that money beggars belief. I have had enough of it.

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walberswick added 09:30 - Jan 4 This shows how ME really behaves in business. He's a cheapskate who will cut any corner to put his personal and business interests first. Portman Road sold for flats and a supermarket. New stadium in a field off the A12?
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tractorboy2434 added 09:34 - Jan 4 I have no problem with the club paying what is the going rate for ground rent but there is something morally wrong with asking for any increase to be back dated for 7 years, and I think that is the stumbling block, I am not surprised that the club are trying to reach a mutual agreement over a reduced sum, if the hugely increased sum was due 7 years ago why has it taken until now for someone to ask for it, there is something wrong here and although I am sure the club will pay the increased amount for 2011/2012 in due course just how is it legal to ask for 7 years back rent, it stinks of maladminstration !

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LancsBlue added 09:56 - Jan 4 To all those calling for Jewell out, Clegg out etc These people are only a symptom of the real problem at ITFC - Marcus Evans. He is NOT good for this club; he has in fact, damaged it almost beyond repair. I would rather the club was run on a shoestring, producing and developing our own players and adding astute buys from the lower leagues, than watch the overpaid mercenaries we currently have. Evans is a faceless speculator who believed that for a small investment he could tap into the riches of the Premier League. The sooner he decides to cut his losses and go the better.

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byronitfc added 10:13 - Jan 4 shambles.
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Karlosfandangal added 10:29 - Jan 4 Funny how when the club had no money the council did not come a knocking then but now all of a sudden they want 7 years back rent now the club have a rich owner
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AlanMahon2011 added 11:38 - Jan 4 Watch season ticket prices go up cus' Septic Clegg has failed to pay his bills...
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BlueVelvet added 12:34 - Jan 4 Ex IBC CEO, JH, was a keen supporter and season ticket holder in Britannia stand. It is said he had a flip chart in his office with a town scarf and matchday programme and front page of Evening Star on it proclaiming ITFC promotion - it was his shrine and talisman. Maybe he had split loyalties?
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blueherts added 13:02 - Jan 4 Excl Front line svces -Police. Fire , Nurses etc all the rest of Public Sector Office jobs worths can disappear - Dont pay it Town - Public Sector , jobs for life , no accountability , paper shufflers - get a real job instead of sitting in your ivory tower paid for by the other peoples hard work = taxes - Go chase the benefit cheats and leave businesses alone !!!Rant over - Cmon Town

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saffronblue added 13:47 - Jan 4 I wonder how much is being spent by Lawyers on both sides
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tractorboy2434 added 14:53 - Jan 4 A huge rent increase will probably mean ST renewal increases but that won't worry me.
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h32 added 17:52 - Jan 4 JUST SORT IT - YOU HOPELESS BUNCH.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 10:54 - Jan 5 add Lady Blanche, Mr John and Mr Patrick Cobbold to that list! RetroBlue added 00:07 - Jan 4 Just WTF is going on at this once great Club???? Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alf Ramesy would be turing in their graves if they could what is happening to Ipswich Town FC now.
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