How Ally McCoist thinks Ipswich Town & Oxford United will feel after Southampton, Spygate update | OneFootball

The pundit has had his say on the Spygate drama that has turned football on its head.

While most of the focus has been around Southampton and Middlesbrough in the Spygate scandal, at least two other clubs may also feel aggrieved about what happened.

When the Saints were alleged to have spied on Boro's training session, it seemed they were the only club that had fallen victim to the South Coast outfit's actions; little did we know they had done so before.

Following the independent hearing, it emerged that Southampton had also spied on Oxford United and Ipswich Town after Saints admitted doing so.

There has been plenty of reaction to Tonda Eckert's side's expulsion from the Championship play-offs, and now Ally McCoist has shared an alternative view on the situation.

Ally McCoist sympathises with Oxford United and Ipswich Town

Oxford and Ipswich experienced contrasting fates in the second tier this campaign, with the Tractor Boys securing promotion on the final day, while the U's were relegated to League One on the penultimate day.

For Oxford, there had been a glimmer of hope leading up to the final few games of the season, with several clubs teetering above them, while West Brom faced a points deduction.

Ultimately, they were powerless to go down, but they could not have fathomed that their name would be brought up in an independent hearing about spying when their relegation was confirmed.

As for Ipswich, their campaign finished much rosier as they were able to win when it mattered on the final day, but even they were oblivious to the spying that had occurred at their training ground.

Now, McCoist has had his say about how the pair could be feeling while speaking on talkSPORT.

He said: "I'm even thinking about, and I know people will say it probably doesn't matter that much because I think they won the game or drew the game, but they were spying on Oxford, who ended up getting relegated.

"Oxford boys get relegated, Ipswich in the running for promotion. What about those teams as well? I think they've got to be upset as well. The whole thing has been an absolute shambles."

Should Oxford and Ipswich feel upset?

Given how Middlesbrough felt about the whole Spygate situation, it is only fair that Oxford and Ipswich should be allowed to share some of those emotions too, knowing that an opponent has tried to gain an unfair advantage over them while breaking the rules.

Ironically, Southampton failed to beat either side, meaning that their efforts were in vain, but it could have been so different for the Tractor Boys in particular.

Kieran McKenna's men drew 2-2 with the South Coasters after the spying incident, so it could be argued that Ipswich were denied two points.

Of course, that had no impact on their final standing, but if the Suffolk club had finished third, then they would have a genuine case against Southampton.

As for Oxford, they defeated Eckert's side 2-1 after the incident, so in terms of that result or the season as a whole, the spying was irrelevant, but it still leaves a sour taste.

All things considered, both clubs are justified if they feel like they have been treated badly, but the fact that their seasons were not affected should put the matter to bed.