EFL sent Hull City warning after Southampton’s Spygate sanction | OneFootball

The Tigers' upcoming play-off final has been the subject of a beyond dramatic lead-up

Hull City's remarkable first season under the management under Sergej Jakirovic has led them to the Championship play-off final for the first time in a decade.

The Tigers were hit with a two-window transfer fee restriction in July, leading to the Bosnian's side being immediately tipped for relegation to League One swiftly afterwards.

However, their Championship campaign will now go the distance, as they sealed their passage to the play-off final at Wembley Stadium with an impressive display and 2-0 aggregate win over Millwall in the second leg of the semi-finals on May 11th.

Despite the fact City have reached the North London showpiece event against all the odds, such an achievement has had to take a backseat in the discourse leading up to the final, largely due to continued drama in the lead-up to, and subsequent fallout of the other semi-finals involving Southampton and Middlesbrough.

Indeed, it was claimed ahead of the first leg at the Riverside Stadium that a Saints analyst was unauthorisingly filming a training session at Boro's Rockliffe Park training base, with Tonda Eckert's side eventually going on to win the two-legged affair 2-1 on aggregate after extra-time amid two hostile atmospheres on Teesside and St Mary's.

Given the continuous legal drama, the EFL later released a statement that they were planning towards a 4:30PM kick-off on Saturday, May 23rd, with Hull and Southampton selling thousands of tickets despite the fact they and Boro were awaiting the fate of an independent disciplinary commission.

The commission has now expelled Saints from the play-offs, as well as implementing a four-point deduction for next season amid further charges. But, the club's right to appeal said decision may see the date of the play-off final change once more.

Unsurprisingly, these are developments which Football League World's Hull City fan pundit, Cameron Gibson, hopes are avoided.

Hull City stance given on potential play-off final date change amid Southampton, Middlesbrough change

It has already been confirmed that City have sold over 30,000 tickets for the play-off final, while supporters looking to make the trip from East Yorkshire were previously served with a travel warning.

However, in terms of on-pitch training preparations, it was reported that Jakirovic's squad were preparing to take on Southampton for a third time, with the 49-year-old and owner, Acun Ilicali, stating that the game MUST be played on May 23rd from their perspective.

An expected appeal from Southampton to their expulsion could add to the drama and see the date moved, while it has been claimed that Hull will also be seeking legal guidance if that is to be the case.

Reacting to such news, Gibson told FLW: "My first thoughts are that I don't want the game moved, regardless.

"The Hull City fans don't deserve to be punished.

"Now Southampton have been removed, their fans will be angry at the club for 'spying', which I think is right," he added.

"If the game gets moved, then the Hull City fans have been done over by the EFL whilst doing nothing wrong to deserve that.

"People are having to reschedule travel from across the country and other countries. They're booking flights, hotels and trains. It's an absolute nightmare.

"My initial thought was it would be similar to the 1990 final where the game went ahead between Swindon Town and Sunderland, and after a few weeks, Swindon were punished and Sunderland were promoted to the First Division," Gibson stated.

"That would have given Southampton the chance to be promoted at Wembley, and then they could still be punished, whereas if Hull City were to lose, they could have carried on the investigation and decided the punishment afterwards.

"But, if they've admitted to it, fair do's," our fan pundit continued. "If you admit to gaining an advantage within 72 hours of kick-off, then that is cheating, and they should be punished.

"If they are to appeal, the game could be jeopardised again. I don't want that.

"I'd rather us play Southampton, even though they've cheated, and punish them afterwards, than reinstate Middlesbrough and have the game played later on.

"If anything, they've been worse off than Hull City," said Gibson. "We're still lucky to be in this position and fighting for the Premier League, whereas, on the pitch, Middlesbrough didn't win the semi-finals.

"I just hope the game isn't moved."

Hull City will hope pre-play-off final drama can still end in Wembley glory

At this stage, City's pre-game preparations will have taken a pivot, which is hardly ideal just days before any game, never mind the richest in club football where over £200m is on the line for the winners.

However, Jakirovic and supporters will also feel assured by the mentality which has been showcased by their squad over the course of the campaign, and that is likely to be the case in North London regardless of when the game is played.

As such, one of the eventual 20-man squad will hope to follow in the footsteps of Dean Windass and Mohamed Diame to score a promotion-winning strike in black and amber at the home of football and potentially change the fortunes of the East Yorkshire club in the years to come.