Stripey McStripe Shirt

If it isn't broke, consider breaking it. If it is broke, Sports Republic will well and truly obliterate it.

Why would anyone now rise their heads above the parapet and confess now they know the potential implications?

On the bright side all publicity is good publicity (right? RIGHT?), and to top the headlines over Arsenal winning the league and Pep leaving is some achievement.

My two cents having slept on it. We're guilty. We're idiots. There's absolutely no way we decided to spy on Oxford (no disrespect, but FFS!)/Ipswich/Borough and not the other 20 teams in the league. The marginal gains of spying must be miniscule, it just beggars belief. Whilst no defence though, I can absolutely guarantee that multiple clubs do it. Assume it's been treated as a cup game, hence kicked out. Had it been the second round of the Carabao Cup I expect we'd hold our hands up and say fair enough, and it'd barely make a one line article in the Daily Mail. If that's the case though and it's effectively a cup game, why has a points deduction also been applied? Seems like a double punishment to set the future precedent. Assume that's what will be wiped/reduced following appeal. Unfortunately, it's going to have a generational impact on the club, barring some sort of miracle later today.

I obviously wouldn't expect it to say anything of interest, but unbelievable that a statement hasn't been made yet. Even a one liner, holding statement would be better than nothing. The last things posted on social media are about Wembley.

Hopefully this is the start of a house of cards. Good chance Barnsley have been doing it if Tonda thought it was Ok. Nicky Butt (part owner of Salford) has openly admitted it being common practice. No doubt other clubs too, just so bloody typical and incompetent for it to be us that gets found out.

What possible explanation could there be for that when there's 80,000 people waiting to know?

Just heard from a reliable source I can’t say too much at this stage but let’s just say the decision is more than a little less than too much, make of that what you will.

What's Che got to do with all this?

Whatever happens can we all just agree to refer to Middlesbrough as 'Brough' or 'Borough' in future (rather than Boro), as that seems to be one of the things that upsets them more than Spygate.

Don't worry, they've updated it now. With a different pic of him in a Sunderland shirt.

Weirdly the Beeb lead the story with a pic of him from a few years ago in a Sunderland shirt. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4g94rpvx73o

Further footage of Will Salt has just been released. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNRtuDAjo/

Whatever happens can we all just agree that Juninho was over rated?

I think we'll be starting next season in the National League on about -10 points and Tonda and the team banned from football. Probably also stadium ban and transfer embargo. Really struggling to see any other outcome. Sorry, been snooping on the Boro forums too much.

They really are a sensitive bunch.

Impenetrable.

But weird putting in Fry, who's bottled header cost them the game.

The same colours Boro wear?! We're buggered.

Better than standing behind it, I guess.

There's barely time for the final to be rearranged, let alone the semi as well.

I guess the question I have about the bit in bold is, are the play-offs really part of the league. Or legally speaking are they are completely different entity as a knock out competition? I assume the former? I which case, I agree with the rest of it... If the latter, then I guess there's a higher risk of getting kicked out. Still highly unlikely and massively disproportionate to the "crime" (imo) but if it happens there would, and should, be no benefit to Boro in terms of being reinstated. The only logical outcome of that is for Hull be promoted by default. Obviously the EFL will be keen to avoid that though because of money from the final.

Given the north east is so stuck in the past, is this where they finally have an edge on us?

Gibbo's time of the month?

Cuckoo! 🤡