Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson breaks silence on Southampton Spygate incident | OneFootball

The 67-year-old has been speaking openly ahead of the new season.

It would have been extremely tempting for Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson to react to the Spygate saga, but instead he held his silence until now.

It has been nearly two months since Boro were eliminated, reinstated and then defeated in the play-off final in what must have been a bizarre period of time on Teesside.

The defeat to Hull City meant that Middlesbrough and Southampton remain in the Championship, with the pair to lock horns again next term.

Head coach Kim Hellberg recently forgave Tonda Eckert for his actions in the drama, and now Gibson has also chimed in on the matter.

Steve Gibson speaks out on Spygate saga

The dust may have temporarily settled on the Spygate saga, but with the Championship season drawing closer, the topic is inevitably rearing its head again.

Eckert is currently under FA investigation, which will almost certainly lead to some sort of punishment, and while the outcome is unknown, he could receive anything from a touchline ban to a ban from football entirely.

Middlesbrough have surely been attempting to put the drama behind them and have been undergoing pre-season preparations in the Algarve, with the players putting in hard work before the campaign begins.

Reflecting on the drama that gripped the play-offs, Gibson told BBC Tees: “We’ve had some crazy seasons at Middlesbrough, we had some great seasons at Middlesbrough, but last year was a bit different.

“But it’s football, everything changes, and you learn something new every day.”

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Boro have already experienced a busy summer off the field, with star man Hayden Hackney securing a move to Everton after extensive speculation and Dael Fry leaving for Birmingham City.

In terms of arrivals, there have already been a handful, with Kyle Joseph, Jeremy Sarmiento and Myles Peart-Harris all signing on permanent deals.

Of course, Middlesbrough still need to replace Hackney, and much of their success next season will depend on whether they find a suitable replacement.

With only a month left until the campaign begins, Boro supporters will be wondering whether their club is ready for their clash with Lincoln City on 15 August.

“We’re not quite ready for the season, but when it comes, we will be," Gibson continued.

“We’re very busy. We’ve got great staff. Kieran and Neil are working their socks off, and Kim, to bring in new players and we’re busy on that.”

Given how close Middlesbrough came to earning promotion last season, there will be loftier expectations, especially as a top eight finish guarantees a play-off finish.