Sky Sports News has obtained a photo of a man with a camera outside Middlesbrough’s training ground, amid allegations of spying against Southampton.
The photo came to light following a complaint from Boro that Southampton staff members had spied on a training session ahead of Saturday’s Championship play-off semi-final first leg between the two clubs.
Following Middlesbrough’s complaint, Southampton were charged with breaching EFL regulations. The matter is currently being investigated by an independent disciplinary panel.
Sky Sports News has obtained a photograph showing a man with a camera outside Middlesbrough’s training ground, which is at the center of the ‘Spygate’ scandal.
Sky Sports News decided to blur the man’s face in the photo. Southampton declined to comment when asked about the photo.
Saints could be eliminated from the playoffs
Southampton won 2-1 in extra time against Boro on 23 May, qualifying for the Championship play-off final. However, if the charges are upheld, Saints could be expelled and denied promotion to the Premier League.
However, it is possible that the commission will find Southampton not guilty and the charges will be dismissed.
The timing of the hearing will be up to the committee, but Sky Sports News has been told it is well aware of the accommodations needed at this stage of the season, with the play-off final looming.
If the committee decides to impose a sporting sanction, the penalty could be carried over until the beginning of next season.
The committee’s main considerations are: Is there enough evidence to prove cheating? And does that cheating merit significant sporting sanctions?
Does the punishment essentially fit the crime? Would it be a fair outcome if Southampton were denied promotion to the Premier League based on this allegation of cheating, deprived of the accolades and financial benefits that would come with it?
The Commission has the independence and freedom to impose any sanctions it deems appropriate. It could be anything from a dismissal of charges, a slap on the wrist, a fine, a sporting sanction, or even a sporting sanction that deprives Southampton of a play-off place.
If the Commission does not impose sports sanctions, the timing of the playoffs will be irrelevant.
Map showing the location of Middlesbrough training ground (Credit: Google Maps)
But we’re in uncharted territory here. Yes, there is precedent for what happened with Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United in 2019, where the club was fined £200,000, but EFL rules were changed as a result.
The charge leveled against Leeds was that they had failed to comply with Rule 3.4, which has been in place for many years and states that clubs must always act in ‘good faith’.
But since 2019, Rule 127 has come into effect, which explicitly prohibits any club from observing or attempting to observe another club’s practice within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
Southampton were charged with breaching both rules 3.4 and 127.
Sky Sports News has told the EFL and the commission that Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull have a vested interest in resolving the issue and recognize it is not just a matter of two of them preparing to play in the play-off final.
But the club’s fans, ticket sales, travel and other arrangements also need to be arranged in time.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg between Southampton and Middlesbrough.
That’s why everyone is hoping for a quick resolution to this issue, but the matter is in the hands of an independent commission and outside the EFL’s control.
Despite an ongoing investigation and the possibility of being ruled out of the play-offs, Southampton are pressing ahead with their plans for the play-off final. They posted on X that information about tickets would be released Wednesday afternoon and tickets would go on sale Thursday.
What is Bolo’s plan during the “Spygate” investigation?
Keith Downey on Sky Sports News:
Middlesbrough players are expected to return to the training ground on Thursday as planned.
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Sky Sports’ Keith Downey has explained how an alleged Southampton staff member was caught trying to watch a Middlesbrough training session.
The idea was always to give the players Wednesday off and return on Thursday for a semi-final debrief.
Had they reached the final, they would have been given a weekend off and would have reconvened on Monday to begin preparations for the playoff final.
If Boro were eliminated, the players and staff were due to go on holiday from Friday. However, that is currently up in the air as an independent panel investigates the charges against Southampton.
