How much Leeds United were fined for spying as Middlesbrough launch Southampton allegation | OneFootball

Middlesbrough have accused Southampton of spying in a case similar to Leeds United's incident with Derby County in 2019

Middlesbrough and Southampton are embroiled in a controversy akin to Spygate ahead of their play-off semi-final clash.

In 2019, Leeds United caused a storm when a coach was caught spying on a Derby County training session prior to a league meeting.

This led to a remarkable press conference from then-manager Marcelo Bielsa in which he delivered a lecture on the Whites’ preparation process.

Now, the Saints have been accused of similar tactics ahead of their trip to the Riverside for the first leg of their semi-final.

A place in the Premier League is on the line, with Tonda Eckert’s side finishing fourth in the Championship table.

The Saints will travel to face Boro, who finished level on points with the Hampshire outfit but came fifth in the standings due to an inferior goal difference.

Leeds United’s spygate fine

Leeds did not officially break any rules during the original Spygate saga seven years ago, but still faced a massive amount of criticism for filming Derby’s training session.

The two clubs were both involved in the promotion fight, and ultimately met in the play-offs later that campaign, with the Rams coming out on top in dramatic fashion.

However, despite not breaking any official rules, the EFL still handed the Yorkshire outfit a punishment.

The club were fined £200,000, and a rule was introduced banning the filming of another club’s training.

Middlesbrough have reportedly alleged that they caught someone acting suspiciously outside of their training ground in the build-up to their semi-final clash, and that they were filming a session.

The rule introduced in 2019 banned filming up to 72 hours before a game, with Boro set to host Southampton on Saturday.

It remains to be seen whether the EFL will act ahead of the play-off semi-final, but tensions between the two teams will now be heightened before a crucial fixture.

The possible punishment Southampton face if found guilty of spying

The EFL will now investigate the incident between Southampton and Middlesbrough, and it remains to be seen what will happen next if they are found guilty of spying.

The disciplinary commission will have a whole host of options available to them as a potential punishment in the event of a guilty verdict.

It’s believed that a points deduction, transfer embargo, a fine, or something else entirely could all be on the table.

A points deduction would likely impact next season now with the current regular campaign concluded and the play-offs about to get underway.

Meanwhile, a fine could be even greater than the £200,000 figure Leeds were made to pay given there is now an explicit rule in place against this kind of incident.

A transfer embargo could also have a big impact on the Saints, particularly if they are promoted to the Premier League in the following weeks.

Their meeting with Middlesbrough at the Riverside will take place on Saturday in a 12.30pm kick-off before the reverse fixture at St. Mary’s on 12 May in an 8pm kick-off.

It is unclear what kind of timeframe there is for when a resolution on the Spygate 2.0 case could be concluded.