Southampton cite Leeds United case as they appeal Championship play-off expulsion | OneFootball

Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs after charges of observing opposition training sessions involving Oxford United, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough. On Tuesday the club were removed from the end-of-season showpiece, having beaten Middlesbrough 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

The club said in a statement that it had admitted breaches of EFL Regulations 3.4 and 127, apologised to Oxford, Ipswich and Middlesbrough and to its supporters, cooperated with the EFL's process, intended after the appeal to volunteer for a Championship working group on Regulation 127, and accepted a sanction should apply but considered expulsion disproportionate, citing Leeds United’s £200,000 fine in 2019, the loss of a match worth more than £200 million, and comparisons with Luton Town’s 30-point deduction and Chelsea’s £10.75m fine linked to £47.5m in undisclosed payments.

The saga has been dubbed 'Spygate 2.0', recalling 2019 when a member of Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds staff was seen watching a Derby County session from a public footpath. Leeds were fined £200,000 for breaching 'good faith' rules towards other EFL clubs.

A subsequent rule now bans clubs from observing opposition training within 72 hours of a match, and Southampton accepted it had breached that provision alongside Regulation 3.4.

Southampton have appealed and an outcome is expected imminently. As things stand, Middlesbrough are due to face Hull City at Wembley in Saturday’s play-off final.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk