Spying Southampton finally apologise and break silence with statement

Southampton have finally broken their silence after the club was sensationally kicked out of the Championship Play-Off Final for spying on Middlesbrough. 

Tonda Eckert’s side were expelled by an independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday, after Daily Mail Sport revealed that the Saints had sent a junior analyst intern to watch Boro’s training 48 hours before their meeting in the semi-final. 

In the statement, Southampton admits to having spied on their opponents, but have argued against their harsh punishment, which puts Premier League promotion out of reach for another year. 

‘We have appealed yesterday’s decision by the Independent Disciplinary Commission to expel Southampton Football Club from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs, and to impose a four-point deduction for the 2026/27 season,’ the statement from the club’s chief executive Phil Parsons began. 

‘Before turning to that appeal, I want to address our supporters, our players, and the wider football community directly and without equivocation.

‘What happened was wrong. The club has admitted breaches of EFL Regulations 3.4 and 127. We are sorry to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the Southampton supporters whose extraordinary loyalty and support this season deserved better from the club.

Southampton’s spy pictured at Middlesbrough’s training ground before the play-off semi-final

Southampton’s fans may have gleefully mocked the unfolding scandal last week but now face unprecedented repercussions

‘We have provided our full co-operation to the EFL’s investigation and disciplinary process. Following the appeal, we will also be writing to the EFL to volunteer our participation in a working group on the practical application and enforcement of Regulation 127 across the Championship. Contrition without change is hollow, and we intend to demonstrate change.

‘On the appeal itself: we accept that there should be a sanction. What we cannot accept is a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence. Whereas Leeds United was fined £200,000 for a similar offence, Southampton has been denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million and one which means so much to our staff, players and supporters.’

The statement also cited examples elsewhere in the football pyramid as examples of why they felt particularly hard done by, with Parsons adding: ‘We believe the financial consequence of yesterday’s ruling makes it, by a very considerable distance, the largest penalty ever imposed on an English football club. 

‘Luton Town’s 30-point deduction in 2008/09 – to date the most severe sporting sanction in the English game – was levied against a club already in League Two, with no comparable revenue at stake. Derby County’s 21-point deduction in 2021 cost them their Championship status. Everton’s eventual six-point deduction in 2023/24 followed losses of £124.5 million, a figure dwarfed by what has been taken from Southampton in a single afternoon. 

‘The largest financial penalty ever levied by the Premier League, against Chelsea in March of this year, was £10.75 million, and was accompanied by no sporting sanction whatsoever despite involving £47.5 million in undisclosed payments over seven years.

‘We say this not to minimise what occurred at this club, which we have accepted was wrong. We say it because proportionality is itself a principle of natural justice. The Commission was entitled to impose a sanction. It was not, we will argue, entitled to impose one that is manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game.

‘Our appeal will be heard today, and we will provide a further update in due course.’

Scrutiny remains over Tonda Eckert’s position at the club amid the unfolding scandal

Being barred from Saturday’s final will see Southampton – who beat Middlesbrough on aggregate – miss out on a tilt at the richest prize in football. 

Daily Mail Sport reported on Wednesday that, with £250,000-worth of bonuses for the players who might have won promotion on the line, the squad could yet consider a class action suit to sue their club for loss of earnings. 

Fans are also demanding refunds to the Wembley showpiece, after the club were both booted out of contention and handed a four-point deduction ahead of next season. 

At Tuesday’s hearing, Southampton admitted to spying on Middlesbrough, Oxford United in December, and Ipswich Town in April, with text messages between employees within the club said to have provided incriminating evidence. 

The Saints have not yet commented on the security of Eckert’s job at the club, with technical director Johannes Spors also under scrutiny. 

Wednesday will see Southampton face a nervous wait for their appeal to be heard, with the EFL forced into contingency planning for Saturday. 

Hull will kick-off against Middlesbrough – who have since been handed a place in the final – at 3.30pm, an hour earlier than schedule. 

However, if Southampton are reinstated, the match will kick-off at the original time of 4.30pm.