Southampton's Eckert awaits FA verdict as Spygate timeline laid bare | OneFootball

Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert will soon learn his fate after being charged by the FA with three counts of bringing the game into disrepute. It follows the club’s expulsion from the Championship play-offs over secret observations of opponents’ training.

According to Daily Echo, Eckert admitted authorising the missions, which spanned Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May.

Before Boxing Day 2025, a junior intern twice watched Oxford train from public areas and sent footage and updates. A predicted line-up reached Eckert, who said it was not used.

On 28 April 2026, Ipswich trained at Eastleigh before visiting St Mary’s. An academy intern attended and session footage was sent to Southampton. Eckert said he learned of it hours before kick-off and had it stopped.

After Middlesbrough were confirmed as play-off opponents on 2 May, Eckert asked on 4 May if their training could be watched. The same intern flew on 6 May and on 7 May filmed three clips before being confronted and deleting them. Details were relayed to Eckert.

Middlesbrough complained on 7 May and the EFL demanded disclosure. On 8 May Southampton denied senior instruction and any footage, then on 12 May their lawyers admitted Eckert had ordered it and videos were shared, also revealing the two prior episodes.

On 19 May, an independent commission expelled Southampton, put Middlesbrough into the final, issued a reprimand and set a four-point deduction for 2026/27. It called the behaviour a contrived, top-down plan and said play-off integrity was seriously violated.

An expedited appeal on 20 May, in which Southampton argued procedural unfairness and no sporting gain, was dismissed, so the sanctions stood.

Source: Daily Echo

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