| Saints charged with spying 09:48 - May 9 with 115600 views | KensalT | Southampton haven't yet denied these allegations! For anyone who doesn't know Boro caught someone with some very sophisticated cameras and recording equipment spying on one of their training sessions. Apparently Boro are looking into the possibility that Saints have done this to other teams this season. Nightmare timing for the EFL. I can't see any way for them to fudge this |  | | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 11:41 - May 20 with 2517 views | Dorse |
| Saints charged with spying on 11:30 - May 20 by NorthantsHoop | If the Saints win their appeal today and the EFL fold on their decision and re-instate them for the play off final, we might as well all give up on the football authorities and their non existent rules! |
'In mitigation, Your Honour, my client was merely trying to see over the training session to film the nurses accommodation over the road. Any formations or tactics observed were simply a by-product of his deviant practices'. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
|  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:01 - May 20 with 2379 views | Juzzie | "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" I'm hearing a lot of how this will mean some players might not experience PL football, fans will miss out etc etc. Well, don't fking spy on other clubs training sessions then. We've seen time after time punishments being weak and I think it's about time the authorities finally cracked down and Clubs need to wake up. If the expulsion is upheld then the authorities have got to keep on with the hard stance because if the next infringement is then weakly dealt with, any opportunity to reign things in is lost. If the expulsion is overturned then we may as well give up. The game really has then gone. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:22 - May 20 with 2232 views | robith |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:01 - May 20 by Juzzie | "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" I'm hearing a lot of how this will mean some players might not experience PL football, fans will miss out etc etc. Well, don't fking spy on other clubs training sessions then. We've seen time after time punishments being weak and I think it's about time the authorities finally cracked down and Clubs need to wake up. If the expulsion is upheld then the authorities have got to keep on with the hard stance because if the next infringement is then weakly dealt with, any opportunity to reign things in is lost. If the expulsion is overturned then we may as well give up. The game really has then gone. |
I saw a post from a Southampton fan complaining the EFL had robbed working class families of their money for a semi final that no longer counts. Mate, come on. Warm up before you reach that hard, you'll strain something |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:24 - May 20 with 2221 views | robith | I actually think my Saints supporting colleague is going to murder me before the day is out. Just absolutely spamming memes on every chat he's on |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:31 - May 20 with 2162 views | Orthodox_Hoop | Saints fans on X claiming the punishment being severely disproportionate to the crime. Losing half their team, being potentially sued by their own, facing years of decline. Maybe don't cheat then? |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:34 - May 20 with 2144 views | BazzaInTheLoft | I can't enjoy the schadenfreude until I can confirm our own pants are clean. Would be surprised if other teams haven't done it and this a very QPR like scandal. If Saints get a whiff of other teams having done it, they will demand we all get investigated. [Post edited 20 May 12:38]
|  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:35 - May 20 with 2138 views | Northernr |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:31 - May 20 by Orthodox_Hoop | Saints fans on X claiming the punishment being severely disproportionate to the crime. Losing half their team, being potentially sued by their own, facing years of decline. Maybe don't cheat then? |
I think DaveB nailed it higher up, at a point where I was very much 'is it really that bad?' We can't just pick and choose which rules we like and which ones we don't. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:39 - May 20 with 2107 views | francisbowles | Southampton local daily echo online reporting the following Eckert accepting responsibility for spying. Revealed at hearing Eckert sent WhatsApp messages to his analysts which were said to be particularly damaging to the club. Boro' putting tickets on sale at 1pm. Different kick off times for Saturday. Hull v Boro 3.30pm or 4.30pm if Sinners are reinstated. |  | |  | Login to get fewer ads
| Saints charged with spying on 12:43 - May 20 with 2061 views | francisbowles |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:35 - May 20 by Northernr | I think DaveB nailed it higher up, at a point where I was very much 'is it really that bad?' We can't just pick and choose which rules we like and which ones we don't. |
Yep and as Warburton always reminded us it's a game for fine margins. Having a look at an opponents game plan is a sizeable fine margin. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:51 - May 20 with 2007 views | kensalriser | Appeals panel is going to need some balls and a very convincing explanation to overturn the decision. |  |
|  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:53 - May 20 with 1992 views | ThGrimRanger | really surprised that southampton didn't persuade the intern involved to claim he was acting alone - it's not like he's breaking any criminal law and all the punishment dished out to the club would have been avoided |  |
|  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:53 - May 20 with 1991 views | KernowRanger |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:34 - May 20 by BazzaInTheLoft | I can't enjoy the schadenfreude until I can confirm our own pants are clean. Would be surprised if other teams haven't done it and this a very QPR like scandal. If Saints get a whiff of other teams having done it, they will demand we all get investigated. [Post edited 20 May 12:38]
|
Of course we'll be involved somehow, just know it'll turn out he borrowed Ronnie Edwards binoculars to do it |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:54 - May 20 with 1977 views | JamesB1979 |
| Saints charged with spying on 12:39 - May 20 by francisbowles | Southampton local daily echo online reporting the following Eckert accepting responsibility for spying. Revealed at hearing Eckert sent WhatsApp messages to his analysts which were said to be particularly damaging to the club. Boro' putting tickets on sale at 1pm. Different kick off times for Saturday. Hull v Boro 3.30pm or 4.30pm if Sinners are reinstated. |
Maybe they could play both games, one after the other? I mean, it would be a little unfair on Hull but as we’re told by Gary Weaver, “the championship changes lives” and we’ve got citadels to storm. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 13:12 - May 20 with 1870 views | Superhoops2808 | For me, I understand the frustration of the fans, but they are directing their anger at the wrong source. The people responsible is wholly the club, not the EFL or the committee that dished out the punishment, its the club for permitting that halfwit to go out with his phone I would like to think that we would direct our anger at Nourry and Co if we were in the same boat. As many have already said, if the appeal overturns the decision then it turns the EFL into even more of a laughing stock Also, I dont like Hull but you have to have sympathy for them because they dont know who they will be playing so cannot focus on training. At least both Boro and Southampton know their potential opponent - |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 13:35 - May 20 with 1775 views | flynnbo | Oddly enough, just watching an episode of Minder called "National Pelmet" where there's a guy with binoculars spying in the woods. Never seen this episode before and I treat finding an unwatched episode of Minder akin to Howard Carter uncovering a selaed and untouched tomb in the Valley of the Kings. [Post edited 20 May 14:01]
|  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 13:36 - May 20 with 1753 views | Monkey_Roots | Only 3 clubs, or only 3 clubs where they were caught? |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 13:59 - May 20 with 1607 views | Bluce_Ree |
| Saints charged with spying on 13:36 - May 20 by Monkey_Roots | Only 3 clubs, or only 3 clubs where they were caught? |
They admitted to two without being caught but clearly picked two games they lost so as to make it seem harmless. If they admitted to a game they'd won, the losing team would be up in arms. They've made such a mess of it. I bet Portsmouth fans are loving all this. |  |
| Stefan Moore, Stefan Moore running down the wing. Stefan Moore, Stefan Moore running down the wing. He runs like a cheetah, his crosses couldn't be sweeter. Stefan Moore. Stefan Moore. Stefan Moore. |
|  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:10 - May 20 with 1519 views | flynnbo |
They'll probably make a film out of it. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:12 - May 20 with 1514 views | LimehouseR | Why does the kick of time now change? Totally bizarre. Is that some sort of regard to Boro fans because they live further away?! Tickets have now gone on sale to M'boro and Southampton fans are now getting refunds. They can't then decide on appeal to suddenly allow Southampton to play in the final again. It is totally insane for all the fans involved let alone the club and players. [Post edited 20 May 14:13]
|  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:27 - May 20 with 1434 views | Logman | I reckon Saints will win the appeal. If the EFL uphold the decision and Saints take it any further they are going to start claiming losses in the region of £200M. I wonder if Boro could take it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if the appeal is allowed ? This could rumble on for ages. It's not inconceivable that they might still be sorting it out as we go into the 2026/27 season. [Post edited 20 May 14:28]
|  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:36 - May 20 with 1389 views | LimehouseR |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:27 - May 20 by Logman | I reckon Saints will win the appeal. If the EFL uphold the decision and Saints take it any further they are going to start claiming losses in the region of £200M. I wonder if Boro could take it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if the appeal is allowed ? This could rumble on for ages. It's not inconceivable that they might still be sorting it out as we go into the 2026/27 season. [Post edited 20 May 14:28]
|
It would be totally insane. They've now just told Middlesbrough that they are playing in what would be the biggest game of most if not all of their players. And for the club the biggest financial windfall and most importantly the fans, the biggest match and day out they will have for years, even decades. They can't then suddenly snatch that back. Here's a conspiracy theory. Tottenham finish 22nd but don't get relegated because they can't solve this playoff issue. The Premier League would love that. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:40 - May 20 with 1365 views | Northernr | Hull are saying they shouldn't have to play Boro now. Going well. |  | |  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:43 - May 20 with 1339 views | Dorse |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:40 - May 20 by Northernr | Hull are saying they shouldn't have to play Boro now. Going well. |
Fck it. Re-run the season. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
|  |
| Saints charged with spying on 14:44 - May 20 with 1337 views | JohnBurkeQPR | My biggest surprise is QPR haven't somehow ended up involved yet. |  | |  |
| |