Southampton kicked out of Championship play-off final over spying scandal | OneFootball

Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs for spying, and Middlesbrough will now face Hull City in the final at Wembley on Saturday.

Southampton, who had beaten Boro 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, admitted multiple breaches of Football League regulations and said they were guilty of unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training sessions.

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Southampton have been punished by the English Football League (PA)

An independent disciplinary commission has also given Southampton a four-point deduction, which will apply to next season’s Championship, as well as ending their chance of promotion this season, which could be worth £200m.

Southampton launched an immediate appeal, which will be heard on Wednesday. As they had pleaded guilty, the appeal is against the severity of the punishment.

But Middlesbrough, who had called for Southampton to be thrown out of the play-offs after catching an intern analyst filming from behind a tree, got their wish.

Kim Hellberg’s side have continued training since their 2-1 defeat at St Mary’s last week so that they would be ready in case they were readmitted to the play-offs.

“Middlesbrough Football Club welcomes the outcome of today’s Disciplinary Commission hearing,” a statement said.

“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct. As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.

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Middlesbrough will now face Hull in the Championship play-off final (Reuters)

Boro had inferred that Southampton had also spied on other clubs, and Saints admitted they had done it for two other games – December’s 2-1 defeat to Oxford and April’s 2-2 draw against Ipswich.

Hellberg had accused Southampton of cheating while Boro had made a formal complaint to the EFL on 7 May. The Football League then charged Southampton five days later, referring the matter to a three-person commission.

Boro had inferred that Southampton had also spied on other clubs and Saints admitted they it for two other games – December’s 2-1 defeat to Oxford and April’s 2-2 draw against Ipswich. Including the 0-0 draw at the Riverside in the play-offs, it means they won none of the three games involved. Southampton were found guilty of breaching EFL Regulation 3.4, which requires clubs to act towards each other with the utmost good faith, and EFL Regulation 127, which forbids clubs from observing other clubs’ training within 72 hours of a match.

Regulation 127 was introduced after Leeds admitted spying on Derby’s training sessions in 2019. They were punished with a £200,000 fine which manager Marcelo Bielsa paid himself.

The EFL had made contingency plans for the play-off final in case it would not go ahead on Saturday but has now confirmed it will – but with Middlesbrough, who finished fifth in the regulation season, facing Hull, who beat Millwall in their semi-final.

The EFL are yet to announce the kick-off time of Saturday’s final – when it was Southampton against Hull, it was due to begin at 4.30pm – but are in contact with both Hull and Middlesbrough and confirmation is likely to come on Wednesday.