Luke Ayling to face Leeds loanee Joe Gelhardt after Southampton expelled | OneFootball

Luke Ayling will face former Leeds teammate Joe Gelhardt, now on loan at Hull, at Wembley after Middlesbrough were reinstated to the Championship play-off final following Southampton’s expulsion over spying.

The EFL said in a statement that an independent disciplinary commission expelled Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches related to unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training. A four-point deduction for the 2026/27 Championship was also imposed, and Middlesbrough will face Hull City in Saturday’s final, scheduled for 23 May with kick-off to be confirmed.

Middlesbrough had lost their semi-final to Southampton 2-1 on aggregate, but continued preparing as the investigation unfolded. Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert has admitted spying on three clubs, with breaches linked to games against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026.

Southampton have appealed and a separate hearing takes place today. The Saints are the second Championship club punished for spying, after Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa in 2018/19. Ayling was part of that Leeds squad.

Gelhardt’s Hull finished sixth and beat third-placed Millwall in their semi-final, the Leeds loanee scoring in the second leg at the Den for his 15th goal of the campaign.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk