obelisk

He had a pretty severe punishment for something minor too.

I take it there's no chance of a friendly behind closed doors at Rockliffe Park then.

"Was" or "will be"?

"Gibbo" and his fans will be looking at this place and laughing at the surrendering self-immolation displayed by some. Presumably you'll be applauding the sporting chaps at 'Boro when they turn up at St Mary's next season before expecting Saints to throw the game as a measure of their ongoing guilt. As I said, get a grip.

Proof of a minor breach of a silly rule that didn't define a punishment. We got thrown out because "Gibbo" has friends in high places at the EFL, Saints went for a daft plea bargain and the "independent" panel had a conflict of interests that resulted in a punishment far outside any precedent or reasonableness. If you'd been following this at all then you'd know all that.

Don't ask me. I'd have told the EFL and the so-called "independent" panel to prove it and for "Gibbo" to buy a fence. Saints and some supporters need to get off their knees.

Minors? Pull yourself together.

A spot of scouting your opponent is widespread and all part of the game, especially if they're doing their drills in public. Get a grip!

Not really interested in FIFA's latest grubby festival. Might cast an eye towards a game or two if they're on in the pub while I'm there but I'll mostly be ignoring this one just like I did the last.

Alfie House reporting a rumour that TE has the backing of the players. Mind you, many won't be at Saints next season.

https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2026/05/28/spygate-a-former-boro-player-on-the-independent-panel-and-a-culture-of-data-mining/ 🫢

Hilarious. Football? Integrity? 🤣

Despite the corrupt EFL demanding years of stoppage time the useless unfit cry-babies still couldn'couldn't save themselves. Hope Saints send them on a journey to relegation next season.

Hilarious. Avoided the game all afternoon and I did a cheer when wife showed me the result. Deep into stoppage time too. So the unfit useless sods have now lost twice in the play- offs. Now for an opening fixture against the useless cry-babies.

Clearly Gibbo FC should now be ejected and Saints reinstated

I've taken myself off to Madeira. Any bars showing the game will be avoided.

I'm old enough to remember when football match results were decided on the pitch. Pretty soon every league table will be a series of asterisks detailing how good a team's lawyers were. Not sure I can be arsed any more.

Are Middlesbrough selling tickets for the final?

Given the latest revelations I have to wonder what it is that Tonda Eckert was itching to say during the play-off semi. 🫣

I wouldn't be so sure. There'll be redoubled efforts to not get caught for sure but it'd be interesting to see what draconian penalty might be handed down in future to match expulsion from the Championship play-off final.

So if the "spy" had been doing his scouting on Wednesday morning rather than Thursday all would be fine? It's a silly 72 hour rule that apparently nobody really adheres to but Saints still managed to get caught by a team with an owner with a grievance. The penalty of expulsion from the final is extreme and disproportionate but I don't see why that automatically allows the semi-final losers to step up rather than for Hull to just get a bye. Well I do really - it's all about money isn't it?

Saints seem to have approached these charges with the idea that an expedited mea culpa would result in a heavy fine but little more. I don't suppose they expected that they'd be carted off to the guillotine for what is after all a fairly trivial and seemingly widespread practice. Maybe sidling up to "Gibbo" to offer an admission of guilt wasn't the best idea in the world either. I'd hope that they've got some harder legal minds lined up for the appeal because they'll need to get down in the dirt if there's even a small chance of success. The likely failure of that appeal is then only going to be the start of some pretty severe ramifications. Baz in goal and Damion Downs up front might well be the best we can hope for next season.

Yeah but was that within the 72 hours arbitrary rule or not?

Goodness knows what's going to happen to Man City when all those much more serious charges are dealt with if this is what they hand down for a spot of scouting opponents.

Makes you wonder what the punishment will be for the next club caught scouting opponents if this is going to be the precedent. Just don't get caught is going to be the message.