Lazio could finally play the friendly they have owed the Blues for nine years as part of the Blues' preparations for 2012/13. Two games were agreed with the Serie A side when keeper Matteo Sereni joined the Rome club in July 2003 with the first taking place in 2006 when the Italians ran out 2-0 winners.

Chief executive Simon Clegg told TWTD that having contacted Lazio on a number of occasions over the last couple of seasons to try to get them to honour the agreement, he eventually took the matter to the football authorities: “I spoke to the FA, who spoke to the Italian Football Federation, who spoke to Lazio, who confirmed that they owe us an outstanding game and I have offered them a couple of dates this summer.

“I’ve given them a couple of options and the ball is in their court. It could well happen this year.”

The Biancocelesti, who under the arrangement made in 2003 will have to cover all their expenses relating to the game, initially proved difficult to pin down when it came to playing the first match.

In 2005 Clegg’s predecessor Derek Bowden wrote to the FA to seek compensation from the Italian club in line with the potential earnings from a pre-season friendly before they eventually agreed to the 2006 date.

Town, who bought Sereni from Sampdoria for £4.8 million in the summer of 2001, also agreed a 50% sell-on clause when he moved to Lazio but the keeper, now 37, moved on to Torino on a free transfer in the summer of 2007. Sereni is currently without a club having left Brescia, where he had previously spent a season on loan while he was a Blues player, last summer.

Clegg says the Blues are close to announcing this summer’s friendlies in Holland: “We are just trying to finalise everything at the moment, particularly the games programme, but I’m hoping to announce that probably next week.”

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

WeirdFishes added 09:02 - May 4 IPSWICH ARE BETTER THAN EVERYBODY
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buryblue77 added 09:08 - May 4 alex, how old are you? Was there for the first one. Get Sereni back as he's on a free?
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Davin44 added 09:32 - May 4 ive been looking forward to this for ages as i missed the first one! lets hope they play miroslav klose, stefan radu and lorik cana, quality footballers
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nitroblue1970 added 09:32 - May 4 may need whymark for this one then if it comes off!
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Wickets added 10:18 - May 4 What a waste of money he was!! lost his place to Andy Marshall!!!!!!
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buryblue77 added 10:48 - May 4 Davin, the last one they played they brought their reserves, the only player who I'd heard of that they played was Luciano Zauri so I wouldn't hold out too much hope that they'll pay us any more respect this time by bringing their big names.
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itfc1981 added 11:14 - May 4 I bet they will play Norwich as well, teams like Lazio never play just the one game abroad.
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StowTractorBoy added 11:23 - May 4 Sereni what a total waste of money as were George and a few more Mr Burley brought in. That was the start of the demise of our Club. Be a decent pre season friendly though lets hope it pays off.
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buryblue77 added 11:36 - May 4 @Stowtractor, agreed Burley's millions of wasted money £4.8m on Sereni, £3m on George and Bent (who on earth ever thought that Marcus Bent was worth £3m?) and a few others, along with Sheepys millions spent (far too early, it was gambled on us staying up) on stadium redevelopment was the start of our demise. If we'd been relegated without such debt, Joe Royle would have had some money to spend, probably gained promotion and we could have been an established Premier League team by now, much the same was as similar sized clubs like Wigan, Stoke etc.....

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garethch added 11:52 - May 4 Spot on StowTractor and Buryblue, this period of overspending was the real beginning of the slide we have yet to fully recover from. We got too big for our boots after that famous 00/01 season ("TWTD")! Those on here with memories like goldfish continue to fully blame the mediocre state of this club on PJ and RK (or Clegg). However I'm certainly not convinced we would be an established PL club by now if those mistakes hadn't been made, as there is now more than enough time elapsed to have allowed us to make similar mistakes again & still be where we are now!! Wonder where Finidi George is now, didn't he lie about his age at one stage?

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buryblue77 added 12:23 - May 4 garethch, we can only guess at whether we'd be established or not, some smaller teams have done it and stayed up so we could have been, could not. I had heard that Finidi was closer to 40, rather than 30 we thought he was. I think RK did more harm than good, but onbviously not to blame for what happened years earlier and PJ has a job on his hands trying to get a consistent squad back together. And some on here question what PJ has done since leaving Wigan, yet they call for Burley back, forgetting the mess he left us in and what has he done since he left us?

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simonsays added 13:03 - May 4 Crikey. Does this mean Batistuta will finally sign as well?
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Throbbe added 13:16 - May 4 "I bet they will play Norwich as well, teams like Lazio never play just the one game abroad." Another chapter in Norwich's illustrious european footballing history. I expect there'll be an open topped bus ride on the cards.
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arc added 13:37 - May 4 What a stupid agreement. I want to forget our connections with Lazio as soon as possible, not remember them. How about they just send us a cheque?
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hollywoodginge added 14:50 - May 4 If it were not for sereni we would have been relegated by Xmas that season, fans player of the month for the 1st 3 on the spin, then was seriously ill treated by the club, the local media and in particular Malcom Webster. In my opinion.
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jas0999 added 15:46 - May 4 Would be a good game.
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walberswick added 18:36 - May 4 “I've given them a couple of options and the ball is in their court. It could well happen this year.” That's a definite then, Clegg.
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DurhamTownFan added 18:40 - May 4 Not to be overly negative, but if they don't want to come and play us, then I say sod them. Like some have said, they'd only bring a reserve side, and if we had to go through the FA and the FIGC anyway, it looks like a bit too much effort for my liking. I'm agreed with arc! However, if Sereni is still knocking around, he might fit PJ's normal player profile. Come to think of it, so might Finidi, at 50 or more..?!

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poundy86 added 19:59 - May 4 Bring back the Anglo-Italian cup.
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kev73blue added 23:40 - May 5 hollywoodginge added 14:50 - May 4 If it were not for sereni we would have been relegated by Xmas that season, fans player of the month for the 1st 3 on the spin, then was seriously ill treated by the club, the local media and in particular Malcom Webster. In my opinion. I completely agree with you hollywoodginge. Sereni pulled off some great saves and was then 'rested' for the cup game to which he wasn't happy about and because of that was never given a real look in again.

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scooterblue added 16:38 - May 6 it will be our "glamour" pre season home game. we might get 5000 through the gate if we're lucky. we won't be able to get a premier league team to come to Portman Road.
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Johnny_Boy added 14:15 - May 9 The news comment section is the *new* YouTube comment section. Plebesque drivel - seriously, a part of TWTD that needs to be avoided at all cost.
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