PJ

This. I originally wanted to give PP the benefit of the doubt, and that despite mistakes, he was far from the main issue here. He didn't instruct the spying after all. However, this interview in particular does not reflect well on him. The fact he's squinting from the sun doesn't help - it makes him look like he's smirking throughout. Amateur - how you come across is as important as what you say. The contrast between this interview and the Dragan one in the summer is massive. PP just hasn't got the skills and gravitas to pull this off. He looks like he's mixed-up between whether to look firm and uncompromising, or apologetic and humble. And he achieved neither. Which makes things worse for us

My point was not the results - sure, losing those players makes it harder to win. The point (obvious in the following sentence) was that we have dropped off massively in fitness, application, and the mentality. This is on the manager and coaching staff in my view. Or is your explanation for looking unfit due to losing some key players? That makes no sense.

The drop off from last season is so hard to explain. We looked fitter and sharper than everyone else. And we even had far more games than anyone else. But this season we look unfit and not mentally right. And that comes from the culture at the club, which starts with the manager. He's under pressure for sure. We don't have the luxury of a slow start.

So frustrating. Play it forward. Sure, sometimes we'll lose possession. But take a chance

So dull. Bree, fellows, bragg - just keep coming back inside and playing a safe pass. We scored by taking players on. Fellows got to the goal line and put in a great cross by taking players on. But nearly every other time, we play safe and west ham get back into shape...

I love this. Our sash kit is still my favourite - helped of course by great memories of the team. And having no logo. Personally, I've never been bothered by stripes. The sash looks better, and is more unique. I'd prefer we had the sash every year

totally agree that football is crooked. My point is that the EFL have now said (and i actually think the written verdict from last night was quite well written and had logic to it) that a sporting advantage was sought, so a sporting sanction must apply, and that in the case of the playoffs (knock-out competition) the only sporting sanction suitable was to exclude the guilt party. Following that stance (which definitely has logic to it), regardless of how well or badly a club handles cheating offences in future, the EFL have set this precedent. On the basis that the evidence obtained (for the Middlesborough game alone) was sufficient to prove our guilt, I'm not sure if how it was handled by us made any difference?

I've been thinking of other cheating offences and how the EFL have now set a precedent they should follow. I get that diving on the pitch is different - there is the potential for the player/club to be punished in the act and during the game (if the referee is crap, that's a different issue). But there is one off-the-pitch cheating that i reckon all sensible fans of all clubs will acknowledge happens everywhere - tapping up players. Tapping up is clearly cheating, and in a way that unquestionably tries to give you a sporting advantage. The club is unlawfully trying to get a player in their side at the expense of other clubs. Based on the EFL's position on Spygate, whenever a club is found to have tapped-up (or tried to tap up a player - regardless of whether the player then joined the club), then the EFL must prevent that club from competing in the playoffs and add points deductions.

I almost don't want to ask this...but is there a chance the players will have known about the spying, too? Could Ekert have shown footage during their pre-match prep?

Yep. Presumably eastleigh make some decent income by loaning their training ground to other clubs. Maybe other clubs will think twice about it now. So a non-league club up the road set to lose an income stream because of our cheating...nice one

Completely agree. Parsons doesn't seem to be the issue here.

it's obvious we admitted to Oxford and Ipswich games - hoping to get some good favour with EFL for transparency - knowing that these games wouldn't cause the EFL even more headaches with the affected teams. We know Ipswich won't kick-off with the EFL (because they're up and don't care) and Oxford can't complain our cheating prevented them a chance of survival.

I've got no legal expertise whatsoever, but I think that might only be credible if we were thrown out after beating Hull. If we're thrown out before the final, then there is only the possibility, and not the certainty, that the club has prevented the players from the pay rises etc.

We should just say we were spying for the 2nd leg, not the first, and outside the 72hrs. Checking on any penalty shootout choices etc.

It's probably his position a few frames later as well. I actually think he's improved a bit this season - but his positioning still leaves him unable to make saves a better keeper could make. Some goalkeepers make a goal seem small (Boruc) and others make it seem big (Forster). I think Gav is in the latter group