PJ

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

Exactly this

But why would we have more genuinely PL quality players in the squad the season after?

And he didn't even celebrate the goal. Not even a hint of a smile. What's that about? We equalise at anfield and he doesn't even seem to care. There is zero connection between him and the rest of the squad. People don't want to pass to him. No point him being on the pitch. He's probably someone who always had a physical advantage. No way is he a footballer, though

👀

But for him, it wouldn't be glory hunting. He's never lived in Southampton - it's not like he'd be rejecting his local team to get glory with some other club. He lives far nearer to Arsenal/WestHam/Spurs. Yes, we did Wembley. I'm probably just feeling depressed, like we all are, watching us this season.