Middlesbrough call for Southampton to be banned from play-off final | OneFootball

Boro's request to be part of the independent hearing was rejected earlier today.

It has been a critical day in regard to the Spygate scandal that is gripping English football, and now there has been an important announcement from Middlesbrough.

Boro were knocked out of the Championship play-offs by Southampton, but given that there is an independent hearing, as confirmed by the EFL, scheduled to decide a potential punishment for Saints, the Teesside club are waiting in anticipation.

Earlier today, it was revealed that Middlesbrough had requested to be a part of the panel for the hearing, but that was rejected.

Now, the North Yorkshire club have made an extraordinary announcement, calling for urgent action to be taken ahead of the play-off final between Tonda Eckert's side and Hull City.

Middlesbrough call for Southampton to be banned from play-off final

What a week or so it has been.

Before a ball had even been kicked between Boro and Saints, controversy gripped the tie as a Southampton analyst, William Salt, was caught spying on Kim Hellberg's training session around 48 hours before kick-off at the Riverside Stadium.

The two sides then played out two legs fuelled by tension and anger as players and the two managers clashed, with Eckert fielding questions about cheating in emotionally charged press conferences.

If Saints had been eliminated, then it would not be the high drama we are now witnessing, but they overcame Boro 2-1 on aggregate to set up a trip to Wembley on 23 May.

First, though, an independent hearing is set to take place on or before 19 May to decide how Southampton should be punished, with anything from a fine to play-off expulsion a possibility.

Now, Middlesbrough have made their feelings clear with an official club statement ahead of the hearing.

"Middlesbrough FC notes the decision of the Disciplinary Commission not to permit the club to intervene in the proceedings brought by the EFL against Southampton FC," the statement read.

"The club regrets that outcome, given we are directly affected by the matters under consideration and hold relevant factual evidence as to the events in question and their competitive impact.

"The conduct at issue, namely the observation and recording of our training session ahead of a fixture of such significance, goes to the heart of sporting integrity and fair competition. In these circumstances, the only appropriate response is a sporting sanction which would prevent Southampton FC from participating in the EFL Championship play-off final.

"We remain hopeful that the EFL, as regulator, will pursue such a sanction before the Disciplinary Commission in order to protect the integrity of the game, safeguard all member clubs, and deter any attempt in the future to obtain an unfair and unlawful advantage in pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.

"The club reserves all its legal rights."

What next for Middlesbrough?

Well, all Boro can now do is wait, but they clearly felt it necessary to voice their feelings ahead of the independent hearing, which they have not been allowed to be a part of.

Their statement certainly heaps greater pressure on the decision makers, but they will act in an appropriate manner regardless of outside noise.

It has been reported that Middlesbrough players will train ahead of the play-off final just in case they benefit from Southampton's possible expulsion, which seems a wise move.

Steve Gibson has also been proactive by hiring a leading football lawyer to assist his club in what is a highly critical time.

Leeds United were fined £200,000 for spying on Derby County's training session in 2019, but given that a new rule has been implemented since then to prevent such a thing from happening again, the South Coast outfit's punishment will almost certainly be more severe.

This is uncharted territory in English football, and whatever the decision, it will set a precedent for the future of the game.

For now, Middlesbrough have spoken, but if a decision does not go in their favour, then this will almost certainly not be the last time we hear from the club.