‘Tonda, are you a cheat?’
All of us gathered inside the press conference room in the bowels of St Mary’s knew things would likely get uncomfortable but few expected the end to come quite so abruptly.
Even before Saints boss Eckert strode in for his post-match duties not long before midnight, a tearful Boro boss Kim Hellberg having already been and gone, much of the talk was about whether he’d get through a full one this time.
He’d not managed it after the first leg after one too many questions about why one of his analysts was allegedly sent to spy on Middlesbrough’s training session 48 hours before the game brought his post-match duties to a premature end.
His side might have made it to Wembley but Eckert was never going to escape it this time. He trundled out the same answers again with the same deadpan expression: there was nothing more to say beyond the club statement, it was hard for him, too, and he would speak at some point but not now because of the investigation.
He did admit he thought the whole thing was ‘overshadowing’ a belter of a two-legged tie. He’s not wrong there. People don’t usually rock up to football matches dressed in full grass camouflage and binoculars around their neck.
Southampton celebrate their win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday night after a number of controversial moments over the last week
And then, about six minutes into his press conference, the question came: are you a cheat?
Eckert never got chance to answer it nor anyone else let out their gasps. The words had barely left the reporter’s mouth than the club’s press officer Jordan Sibley stepped in. ‘Thank you very much,’ he said, getting up from his seat. ‘Show some respect, that’s all we ask,’ before leading them both from the room.
Earlier on, Hellberg had been asked if he thought Eckert knew about the spies. ‘No comment,’ he replied. When asked why he hadn’t spoken to his counterpart about the allegations, he responded: ‘I have nothing to say to him.’
It was all, in many ways, the fitting end to an ill-tempered night on the pitch and off it – one where even the ball boys got involved.
Spygate dominates once more
Daily Mail Sport’s stunning exclusive was the only thing people were talking about. Even a young lad by one of the chip vans stood peering through the leaves of a tree with his binoculars.
As we journalists tucked into our pre-match meal, the conversation was all about Spygate. What on earth will happen if Saints go through, will they have time to kick them out, what’s the point in a fine if they land their Premier League fortune.
Fans referenced ‘spygate’ with their outfits at St Mary’s and made light of the scandal
This Southampton supporter was one of many to bring binoculars to the match
How much easier all this would have been had Riley McGree’s early goal settled the tie. But no.
The football was basically the sideshow. It was not just the fancy dress. Both sets of fans chipped away. ‘You cheating b*****s, we know what you are,’ came the cry from the Boro lot. ‘We’re Southampton, we’ll spy when we want,’ was the response from the home fans, who perhaps needed reminding their club hasn’t admitted guilt…yet.
The bombshell picture released by Daily Mail Sport might have to change that at some point.
Even when Shea Charles netted his winner in extra-time, Taylor Harwood-Bellis celebrated by putting his fingers around his eyes like a mock pair of binoculars.
Harwood-Bellis in hot water
It was not the first time Saints centre-back Harwood-Bellis, the fiancé of Roy Keane’s daughter Leah, got embroiled in an unsavoury incident on this bitter night.
During the first half, after yet another scuffle between the sets of players, Boro midfielder Luke Ayling approached beleaguered referee Andrew Madley, who then went over to inform the managers, who then themselves had to be physically restrained while the fourth official held back Boro assistant Adi Viveash.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis (left) was accused of using discriminatory language towards Luke Ayling (right)
From our seats in the press box, it was unclear what had happened. It just looked like tempers had boiled over once again.
It later emerged that Ayling had accused Harwood-Bellis of ‘discriminatory language’, reportedly in reference to Ayling’s stammer, which can be classed as a disability in UK law under the 2010 Equality Act. Ayling has since chosen not to pursue the allegation and the case is closed.
At least one of them is…
Ball boys get in on the act
The bad blood just kept spilling everywhere. At one stage, Saints keeper Daniel Peretz was brushed in the face and went down as though hit a Frank Bruno uppercut.
Then with 10 minutes to go of normal time, Matt Targett approached a ball boy and asked him to hand one over. The ball boy, who was somehow even taller than Targett – aren’t they usually 11-year-olds? – refused, and pointed to another ball already on the touchline.
Boro team-mate Aidan Morris then stormed over, wrenched the ball from his hands and suddenly found himself surrounded by Saints subs. The only surprise was that Morris didn’t kick him like Eden Hazard.
Matt Le Tissier addressed the crowd at half-time saying the referee wanted to be ‘the star’
Taking Le Tiss
Just what we all needed as we tried to catch our breath at half-time was to endure Saints icon turned internet conspiracy theorist Matt Le Tissier being introduced at half-time and immediately start bellowing into the microphone that it was a shame referee Madley was making himself the ’star of the show’.
Then, more on-brand for Le Tiss these days on the back of his argument with X’s AI Grok about ‘plane trails’, urged the home fans to direct ‘positive energy to the players instead of negative energy elsewhere’, presumably the referee he just accused of stealing the spotlight.
Well, it worked. Saints won. Makes you think.
