Despite appointing Aidy Boothroyd as their new chief, Colchester United have vowed to continue their search for 'justice' after Paul Lambert's departure up the A12.
The U's, and in particular chairman Robbie Cowling, continue to insist that the Canaries played dirty in their pursuit of the Scot.
And after failing to reach an agreement with their East Anglian neighbours, United are taking the matter further.
They are even mentioning a possible points deduction for the Canaries in what would be some sort of precedent for this type of dispute.
“That will go on in the background and will take some time,” admitted Cowling, speaking to the Colchester Gazette after the unveiling of one-time City Academy boss Boothroyd.
“But there are opportunities with every problem. We have made the situation into something good for us.
“We just have to make sure that we do things right for Colchester United.”
The two clubs, it seems, have always been miles apart when it comes to a compensation figure and since negotiations started, there doesn't seem to have ever been a time when they were even close.
The next step would be a tribunal � hardly a path either team would want to head down. Not with the hectic schedule that accompanies life in League One.
But if that is the only way the U's feel they can close the book on the matter, then that's what will happen.
The Essex club are certainly not going to go away lightly. They will fight this one to the bitter end…
“We`re going to look to get what compensation we think we deserve, because things were not done correctly,” Cowling told BBC Radio Essex earlier in the week.
“We`re nowhere to be honest with you and I think it`ll end up at a tribunal. We are where we are – we`ve not wanted any of what`s happened.
“We are looking for a points deduction as well as a fine, because we feel the rules have been broken,” continued the U`s dual Chairman-owner.
While a points deduction seems unlikely, City will certainly have concerns over a hefty fine. Especially as they desperately try to balance the books after relegation.
The worst case scenario seems to be a suspended deduction; this was the case for Chelsea in 2006 when Jose Mourinho and the Blues were punished over the tapping-up of Ashley Cole after being found guilty by the Premier League of an illegal approach.
Chelsea were fined �300,000 and given a suspended three-point deduction, Cole and Mourinho were both handed a �75,000 fine.
Elsewhere, City chief Lambert was given a punishment of his own yesterday after being hit with an improper conduct charge by the FA.
The charge followed his dismissal from the dugout when manager of Colchester United in their match against Yeovil Town on 16 August.
Lambert was fined �750 and warned as to his future conduct. The Commission considered his admission of the charge and previous good disciplinary record.
Don't go too far away tomorrow; MFW will have all the news and views from the pre-match Colney press conference ahead of City v Walsall at Carrow Road on Saturday.
Tom Haylett
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