Blues chief executive Simon Clegg has been named the official Olympic attaché for the Pacific island of Guam, who are sending six athletes to this summer’s Games in London. Clegg, who prior to joining the Blues in 2009 had spent 20 years and 12 summer and winter Games with the BOA as deputy general secretary and then chief executive, says he’s looking forward to enjoying this Olympics without the responsibilities that were his at previous Games.

The Town chief, who led Team GB to 47 medals - 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze — in Beijing as chef de mission four years ago, was involved with the 2012 bid from the start and was amongst those to sign the contract giving the Games to London.

His involvement with Guam means he will receive an access all areas pass having previously had no entitlement to tickets for the Games.

Clegg explained his role to the Daily Telegraph: “I’m still friendly with a lot of people in the Olympic movement — international colleagues that I’ve known for 20 years. One of those colleagues kindly gave the opportunity to be the official Olympic attaché for Guam.

“It’s not particularly demanding because obviously they are a small country with a tiny team and I will do whatever I can to support during the build-up and will continue to do so during the Games.

“The kind of jobs involved are speaking to people about uniforms, doing some work on the vehicles for them, and they’ve asked me to organise a team reception for them.”

The 52-year-old, who remains an athlete commission member at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), told TWTD that Town will be his main focus over the summer despite his obvious interest in the Games: “I think it will be a great event and I’m privileged that I played some small role in bringing them here. My priority is here at the football club but I’m sure I’ll get down for a few events.

“It’ll be quite exciting to see some events without having the pressure of managing 305 two-legged athletes and 18 four-legged athletes.”

Clegg says he plans to watch Blues central defender Tommy Smith in action with New Zealand: “I have spoken to Tommy and have said that I’ll endeavour to catch up with him at some of the football games.”

The Town chief executive dismisses widespread rumours that he will move on from Portman Road once the Olympics — for which Town owner Marcus Evans is the authorised ticket reseller for Ireland, Greece and Malta — are over: “It would be news to me.

“I’m still incredibly committed to this club, I’m still very ambitious for it and I want to enjoy some success with the club.”

Photo: Action Images

SuperReuser added 12:13 - May 15 haha go on Clegg you hero. Free tickets and access all area passes, the man is not silly!
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Sir_Bob added 12:16 - May 15 “The kind of jobs involved are speaking to people about uniforms, doing some work on the vehicles for them, and they've asked me to organise a team reception for them.” That's it sweetheart, you go & organise uniforms & have a jolly for the summer & let ITFC crumble beneath you!
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buryblue77 added 12:21 - May 15 Er....Do your own job Mr Clegg, we've a busy summer of transfer negotaitions to handle as we need several key players. On the other hand..............I hope you have a good time.
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yorksblue added 12:30 - May 15 Any chance they can make him an offer he can't refuse, so he stays there?
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itfchorry added 12:31 - May 15 Will he be responsible for giving the turnstiles A lick of paint too ?
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bluey123 added 12:32 - May 15 What do you expect paid a fortune by ITFC then spends the summer messing about at the Olympics no wonder the clubs in termoil
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mawwam added 12:34 - May 15 Excellent, Hopefully while he is busy doing that we might be able to finalise a decent deal or two.
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yorksblue added 12:35 - May 15 2 jobs eh! Bet he gets paid on a full-time basis for town too. But only works during the season. Nice if you can get it.
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itfchorry added 12:44 - May 15 Guam in a taxi - You must have Guam in a taxi !
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itfchorry added 12:47 - May 15 Guam in a taxi - You must have Guam in a taxi !
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itfc1981 added 12:53 - May 15 Clegg what are you here for?
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spanish_archer added 12:59 - May 15 Jesus....Jobs for the boys. This stinks. He has a full time job at ITFC. This summer is cruical to get the right players in with the Financial Fair Play rules and he's gonna be swanning around in the VIP area's at the Olympics. I might have a word with my boss to see if I can go out on my previous companies day out becuase I have friends still working there. YOU LEFT THE OLYMPICS TEAM UNDER YOUR OWN FREE WILL. DEAL WITH IT AND CATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS ON BBC LIKE EVERY OTHER WORKING MAN & WOMAN. Use the time over the summer to get an outside sponsor for the shirts so we can increase revenue and offer more to new players...

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hadleighboyblue added 13:03 - May 15 this is rubbish news as far as ITFC is concerned , he has a job to do here ( allegedly at least ) do any transfer dealings take a back seat while he has a jolly at the Olympics ? what the hell is ME doing , allowing Clegg to do this , or has ME got an interest in having an insider at the Olympics FFS commit 100% to ITFC .............or even better , just go now so we can get someone else in

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chripswich added 13:06 - May 15 yet another piece of appalling judgment and messaging to us (the people that pay his wages) from this total "up his own ar$e" waste of space... its so incredibly naive (at this time) as to be almost unbelievable someone punch me to make sure i'm awake.. actually its very very sad!! :(
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MaySixth added 13:07 - May 15 Jobs for the boys.
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itfc1981 added 13:09 - May 15 Whats the price of milk Simon?
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stringtheory added 13:09 - May 15 You lot are hilarious - on the one hand Clegg is only capable of f*****g deals up and dissauding Ronaldo from signing on a free transfer then suddenly the whole world is about to fall apart because he's going to spend a bit of time sorting out some uniforms and hospitality! You can't have it both ways.
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itfc1981 added 13:12 - May 15 Stingtheory: No one is suggesting he would be capable of doing deals if he were here, its just that he should be trying to do them!
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spanish_archer added 13:12 - May 15 StringTheory - Your missing the point...he works for ITFC not the BOA...get with the programme
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weddings added 13:13 - May 15 This club is a shambles run by monkeys......I can see relegation next season sorry to say....
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braintree_blue10 added 13:15 - May 15 Maybe he can talk Usain Bolt into becoming a striker while he is there, no defence would be able to catch him :-)
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buryblue77 added 13:15 - May 15 @Spanish-archer, maybe those rumours about him leaving are true and he's getting himself in there to get another job. If not then I expect to see him going on behalf of Ipswich Town and everything he does about Ipswich and promoting our club, dress him up as a mascot if he wants to go!
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sotd78 added 13:22 - May 15 If Mr Clegg spends his entire Olympics watching football then i might just stomach this story. Thank God fora free press that can report this. On a six figure salary in charge of a club that has "failed" dismally in the past three seasons - I don't want to know about his jolly old freebie summer. I wish in a way we were back under the cosh for money with Sheepy in charge. At least you knew he was a toff - this mob seems like the jumped up brigade from down my street....

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spanish_archer added 13:28 - May 15 @buryblue77...I have no doubt he will come back from the Olympics with a string of blue chip companies wanting to sponsor us...when's he's ducking & diving in the VIP area's lol. All joking apart, I just want ITFC to be focused on ITFC and that means the CEO putting the club first rather than our second favourite country of Guam. Is David Dein still doing nothing! Arsenal don't wan't him and we could sell ITFC as a major project to get back to the glory days.

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stringtheory added 13:28 - May 15 Do any of you lot have any understanding of how the links in the chain of the transfer fit together - from your comments I guess not. It definately does not start and finish with Clegg sitting by the phone with a list of numbers on a piece of paper. And tranfers in do not not suceed or fail because just because of Clegg.
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