Middlesbrough make eleventh-hour request as Southampton Spygate scandal intensifies | OneFootball

There has been yet another twist in the scandal that is gripping the nation.

As the footballing world waits for the outcome of the gripping Spygate saga involving Southampton and Middlesbrough, there has been yet another twist.

An independent hearing will take place on or before Tuesday, 19 May, as confirmed by the EFL, to decide Saints' Championship play-off fate with Boro waiting in the wings.

With the play-off final between the South Coast side and Hull City set for 23 May, time is of the essence to decide what punishment, if any, they will receive and whether the Teesside club could take their place, having been knocked out by them in the semi-finals.

Now, there has been a rather unorthodox request made by Middlesbrough, which could create even more tension between the two clubs, which we did not think was possible.

Middlesbrough want to participate in Spygate hearing

This has been a play-off tie like no other, but it is not the action on the pitch that has hogged the headlines, but what has happened away from it.

Southampton analyst William Salt was caught spying on Kim Hellberg's training session around 48 hours before the teams were set to face off in the first leg of their tie at the Riverside Stadium.

Leeds United were fined £200,000 for spying on Derby County's training session in 2019, but given that a new rule has been implemented since then to prevent such a thing from happening again, the South Coast outfit's punishment will almost certainly be more severe.

It has been widely reported that Saints could receive anything from a fine to a sporting sanction, which is where things get interesting, as they could be booted out of the play-offs and replaced with Middlesbrough.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson has already hired a leading football lawyer to help his club's case, but now the Teesside club have taken action even further.

Now, The Athletic has reported that it has been told by multiple sources that Boro have asked the panel if they can participate in the hearing when it is held.

They add that, ordinarily, they would only be allowed to make a written submission as an interested party and that if such a request were granted, then it could create more tension between the clubs, as it is highly unusual.

What would happen if Middlesbrough's request is accepted?

The reason that Boro have requested to be part of the independent is obviously that they are the club that has been affected by Southampton's actions, but it is important to delve a little deeper.

Of course, it all hinges on whether the Teesside club are granted permission to be part of the panel, but if they are, then here is what they might have the power to do.

Firstly, Boro may have the power to submit evidence or witness statements, which they seem to have in terms of CCTV and Salt being caught by a member of staff.

It would also be pretty safe to assume that they would lobby for a sporting sanction, rather than a fine, so that they could be given the chance to replace Tonda Eckert's men at Wembley.

Here is where it gets even more complicated, though, because if the South Coast club are expelled from the play-offs, then they could mount a legal appeal, which would likely postpone the date of the final against Hull.

With just days to go until the independent hearing, there will likely be several more twists and turns in what has been the story of the Spring.