ROY Keane's Ipswich Town will take on Southend United as part of their pre-season programme.

Derek Davis

ROY Keane's Ipswich Town will take on Southend United as part of their pre-season programme.

The Blues travel to Roots Hall to take on the Shrimpers on Wednesday July 22, with a 7.45pm kick off.

Town have already confirmed that they will be playing Brentford at Griffin Park the week before as they continue their close relationship with the League Two champions.

Ipswich are also scheduled to entertain Colchester United on Saturday July 25 as part of Fabian Wilnis' testimonial.

The three games will consolidate links being established between the clubs.

Dan Harding, who is still to officially to learn his fate with Ipswich Town following his loan spell with Reading, was with Southend earlier this season and is tipped to return if freed by Keane.

Ipswich's last game at Roots Hall ended in a 3-1 win for Town with Billy Clarke, Sylvain Legwinski and Alan Lee netting with the Shrimpers going on to be relegated.

Town were at Griffin park last summer for a friendly before jetting off the Northern Ireland with Pim Balkestein and Danny Haynes getting on the goal sheet but not before the Bees put them under serious first half pressure and showed even then their potential for winning promotion, which they duly did as League Two champions.

Billy Clarke, Jordan Rhodes and Dean Bowditch, all spent loan spells with Andy Scott's side with Clarke and Rhodes picking up medals for their contribution.

Clarke is wanted by Scott on a permanent basis and went on a team bonding cum thank you trip to Las Vegas last week and could sign for them in July.

Town boss Keane is lining up some training for his squad with the Parachute Regiment at Colchester and the rest of the pre-season schedule is now being finalised.

A planned trip to Germany which former manager Jim Magilton was organising has been scrapped but Keane could still take his players overseas for a few days in July.