Former Town chief executive Simon Clegg has dismissed Roy Keane’s claim that they and owner Marcus Evans “never met together” in the same room during the Irishman’s 20 months as manager of the Blues and the implication that the trio’s relationship was dysfunctional.

Keane makes the assertion in his new book The Second Half, which was published earlier this week, adding that there was no chemistry between himself and Clegg, citing their different backgrounds: “As well as being an ex-Para, he was public-school educated. I was from Mayfield, in Cork.”

Clegg (pictured above with Keane following his April 2009 appointment) is currently based in Azerbaijan where he is working as the chief operating officer of the Baku 2015 European Games having left Portman Road in February 2013.

He told TWTD: “Elements of Roy Keane’s book have been read over the phone to me as it is presently not available on the shelves of the bookshops here in Azerbaijan!

“Like most biographies it is one dimensional and contains elements where the manager might not have been aware of the full facts, particularly in connection to player transfers and potential targets as handled privately by Marcus and myself.

“Despite our different backgrounds, from my perspective, I feel that Roy and I worked together well in a close and professional manner and in the best interests of the club, if he now feels differently so be it.

“I remain bitterly disappointed that despite considerable investment in the playing squad with targets he had identified the club was unable to achieve the success we all aspired to and realise the hopes and belief that surrounded the club on his appointment.

“To say that Marcus, Roy and I never met in the same room is factually incorrect (although for good reasons it didn’t happen very often) and leads the reader to think that the relationship between the three of us was totally dysfunctional.

“In my view nothing could be further from the truth until such time as both Marcus and I began to realise that a change was necessary.”

Photo: Action Images

Swailsey added 12:34 - Oct 10 CLEGG OUT
16

blueblood66 added 12:34 - Oct 10 what a shambles we were then, no wonder we were the same on the pitch.
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itfc1981 added 12:48 - Oct 10 The turnstiles are flaking Simon.
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bluemikey100 added 12:52 - Oct 10 i saw them in greggs mr keane was buyin prawn sarnies for them all lol
0

AYACCA added 13:14 - Oct 10 Lets be honest, no one likes Clegg.
2

braveblue added 13:16 - Oct 10 What a complete waste of space Clegg is. Hopeless at his job, made a complete mess of our club and still speaks as if all was ok. Players targets!!! Best he stays where he is.
4

Monkey_Blue added 13:16 - Oct 10 So why is keane saying they were never in the same room? Could it be it sounds more dramatic for the book than telling the truth? I think Clegg was unprepared for the challenges and that's not his fault..its just how it was. He struck me however as an honest guy who's skill set just didn't suit working in that role, or maybe working alongside a man like keane. He has the excuse he'd never worked in football before...whats keanes excuse?(Apart from it was all cleggs fault I mean)

14

Arthur added 13:18 - Oct 10 For some reason, at the time. bringing players in was an total mess, Why would a manager not give his valuation of players on his target list. If you were the "negotiator" it's the first thing you would need to know. And, if there were some other factors in the transfer process, why would you keep that from the manager of your club? The whole thing sounds like Alan Sugar's Apprentice (Retards Special) Thank God ME is more hands on and of course we have MM/TC

0

TotalBlue added 13:32 - Oct 10 I am so pleased that after a couple of false starts Marcus Evans has finally got things sorted. It is so obvious we were rotten to the core for so many years. Its amazing how Clegg goes and a new structure is put in place and we start chasing promotion. Yes MM is the main driving force but we now have a Management team suitable for a Premiership club we are finally a club fir for the 21st centery. It is sad though that football has changed so much since the days the Cobbolds, sadly that era is gone but heres to the future and back to winning trophies...

2

BlueandTruesince82 added 14:05 - Oct 10 Seems like almost everyone who Keane has written about disagrees with jos version of events. Odd that. What possible explantion could there be??
1

MVBlue added 14:07 - Oct 10 Clegg and Keane, not good enough!
1

itfcserbia added 14:25 - Oct 10 Dear god just look at that photo. It really works your stomach...
1

Bluetone added 14:54 - Oct 10 There are lies, damn lies, statistics and Keane's book.
3

sirbenofmorlingshire added 15:30 - Oct 10 How I remember the day I was sat in a pub one lunchtime in Colchester and heard on the news we'd appointed Keane, and I remember how my heart sunk. I said there and then, awful appointment, will end in tears, and the rest as they say, is history. Even after he left the club (thank god!), this moron of a character is still chipping away at us with utter dribble and cr*p. Some of the other stories in the press right now off of the back of his new money making scheme, aka, another book, just cement my immediate thoughts from all those years ago one lunch break in Colchester, Roy Keane, you're a tos*er, get lost! Your book Roy, will be bargain bin even before Christmas; the only joy I get from your ever flowing stream of hatred and nonsense towards anyone who crosses your path or works with you, is the vision I have of you, stood in a Recycling centre like Alan Partridge watching the unsold copies of ‘The Second Half' being pulped! The only football based literature featuring a Roy I recommend anyone reads is ‘Roy of the Rovers', you'll find it far more fulfilling. *FORK*

6

cooper4england added 15:37 - Oct 10 *"In my view nothing could be further from the truth until such time as both Marcus and I began to realise that a change was necessary.”  Is clegg talking about the dark lord getting the sack or himself?
0

groovyASH added 16:18 - Oct 10 So who's the biggest fool out of these two, Clegg or Keane? They share the award I think!
1

craftyoblue added 16:34 - Oct 10 "So we've wasted millions on average players, let our best players go for nothing and are on the brink of relegation - so that's all good then"
1

DeVOS added 16:46 - Oct 10 Don't know why but clegg angers and frustrates me more than Keane did.
1

NoCanariesAllowed added 16:50 - Oct 10 Who the hell cares if they were ever in the same room. The important thing is Clegg and Keane aren't still in that room now.
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jocasaja added 18:17 - Oct 10 To be honest I like most others was really excited about the Keane appointment - what a bloody shambles he and Clegg brought to our club - now lets put all this to bed- I couldn't care less about either of them ...we have a great manager, an ever improving team and the best prospect of success since big Joe left...onwards and upwards...I love it when Portman Road is rocking..we are a very special club - believe COYB

1

RegencyBlue added 18:43 - Oct 10 I still maintain Clegg was given the job because of his connections to the Olympics which helped Evans get his hands on 2012 tickets and for no other reason. Why else appoint someone with no experience of football whatsoever to run your football club when you have no experience yourself? Add to that Clegg doesnt last that long after the Olympics and ....!!!
3

Lord_Mac added 18:46 - Oct 10 There's incompetent - and then there's incompetent and nasty. I don't have the same feelings for Clegg and Jewell that I do for Keane.
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masetheace added 18:59 - Oct 10 Do we really give a stuff - move on !!
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beerhelps added 22:13 - Oct 10 The best thing from the Clegg/Keene era was, without doubt, Basil Smallpiece. Regency Blue - good call!
0

NSL added 23:01 - Oct 10 Painting the turnstiles is one thing but I wish they would clean the green shi!teff the back of the North stand!
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