DellBlockH

You need a better lawyer.

I don't like these analogies but this is an area I know something about (not from being a flasher). It is not illegal to be naked in your home, garden or even Above Bar Street unless your intention is to cause harm or distress to another person. So, if you're just coming from the shower and pass the window, it should not be a problem. If you're standing at the window waving your willy about, you might be liable to prosecution. What this has to do with the club's current situation, I don't know.

If, and it's a big if, Tonda had knowledge of the alleged spy, or even sent him, there could be mitigating factors such as genuinely not knowing it is against the rules. Or it could be a deliberate act, despite knowing the rules. He should, perhaps, be reprimanded and warned not to do it again. But to sack the most successful manager we've had in years, with the huge potential he has, would be way over the top. As Dman says below, despite the huge press backlash, the offence itself is no worse than diving, feigning injury or fouling an attacker clean through on goal. The last of these attracts a red card and a three match ban. Are you really saying Tonda should be treated more harshly?

How right you are.

There aren't really sides though. Middlesbrough made the report but they aren't a direct party to the outcome. It's the EFL v Southampton. I can't see the EFL appealing against a the decision of the tribunal it appointed. Saints might appeal if punishment is seen as too harsh. I make no comme t on the likely outcome, though as I'm as much jn the dark as everybody else posting on this thread.

Could add to the evidence that we knew exactly where Boro were going to play that ball out of defence. And that they were so unfit that Flynn would be able to catch them up after giving them a head start.

Haven't seen what Jon Sopel said. But he did study at the University of Southampton.

So, nothing new then. I haven't scrolled through the whole 99 pages but will leave this here in case nobody else has mentioned it: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/16/southampton-middlesbrough-spygate-championship?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other I'm not sure why their manager being in tears should have any bearing on the situation. Anyway, hoping this is the post that takes us onto page 100.

You begin to see why Rob Edwards thought he'd be happier at a club facing almost certain relegation.

Wow. I thought you were older than that.

Lightning. 😉

So somehow the EFL have come up with a scenario to cause the maximum inconvenience to the supporters of both clubs (and Middlesbrough). And not just the supporters. Last time we were at Wembley, there were extra trains, extra National Express coaches and supporters' private hire coaches. That takes time to organise. I'm not sure how the disciplinary committee has been allowed to progress quicker than the 14 days we were given to respond to the charges. Unless we've agreed to a shortened schedule (which should count in our favour, a bit like an early guilty plea 😉). The whole thing is a mess. If we broke the rules, fair enough, we deserve a sanction. But, as just about everybody outside Middlesbrough seems to agree, kicking us out of the play offs would be completely disproportionate. As usual, the last people to be considered are the actual bloody supporters.

Well done on the spelling (and I don't mean Larin).

Great summary. But could you also cover the alternative scenario that the management (if not the actual board) did know that the analyst was there?

Why? Would Hull be happy with a delay? It will go ahead as scheduled. We will play in it and any sanctions will come later.

Voted. Sadly, they didn't have a "proceed to the Premier League" option.

I'm not sure it's in "Gibbo's" hands. The EFL is running the investigation.

I don't condone what Saints allegedly did. But he can't blame that for the lack of fitness in his players or for them falling from 2nd to 5th in the league. Saints have played more games (FA Cup) yet somehow were physically fitter. You don't get that from watching other people's training sessions. Yes, he can go on about small margins. But it wasn't a small margin that caused Boro to lose.

This is pathetic. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/13/southampton-middlesbrough-kim-hellberg-tonda-eckert-championship-playoff?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other I get SFC may have done wrong. We don't yet know the facts but, if we have done wrong, we will receive a proportionate punishment. But this whingeing by their manager that if Middlesbrough had lost due to him coming up short, he could have accepted that. He seems to be saying that they lost directly as a result of us (possibly) observing a training session. No. You lost because you had no idea of conservation of energy and went all out in the first half leaving you with nothing by the end of the second, and dead on your feet by extra time. The only thing we could have learned from your training session is that fitness did not play much of a part.

That will include the three hours of waffle leading up to it.

That was quite fun. But lots of them seem to think they should have had two penalties. I was at the game and I didn't see anything remotely like a penalty for them. I try to be fair minded. I thought our call for a penalty after the challenge on Scienza might have been given but thought the call for the challenge on Larin was not strong. I also didn't like Peretz going down and making out he'd been elbowed in the face. So I haven't got totally Saints-tinted glasses on. But I honestly don't know what incidents the Boro fans think should be a penalty.

Is there actually any proof of this? I don't accept someone said something on Twitter as proof. If he did say it, it's despicable and he should face the same punishment as somebody making a racist remark to another player. But let's get the proof first, eh?

To be or not to be That is the question

I don't know if Saints are guilty or not. They have not admitted it. On the balance of probabilities, and the lack of an outright denial, it seems likely that somebody connected with Saints was caught observing a Middlesbrough training session. But that is all I know and all any of us outside the two clubs know. I'd much rather that Saints responded in a professional manner to the EFL rather than slug it out in the press. I've read enough of The Secret Barrister's books, and seen enough crime dramas, to know that if you are accused of wrongdoing, you say nothing and let your accuser produce the evidence. You can then respond to that evidence, and only to that evidence. I daresay that some in here have more first-hand experience in these matters 😉

Is Alan Partridge the commentator at The Den?