Midfield_General

Also, regarding a 'paper trail', me being in the city of Wrexham and buying a coffee doesn't in any way prove I spied on the Wrexham football team while I was there, regardless of anything I may or may not have done elsewhere. All it proves is that I bought a coffee. Unless I bought it in the cafe at the Wrexham training ground while I was hiding there illegally, anything else is purely circumstantial and means absolutely nothing

Alfie House reported that we are unlikely to, and with his links to the club I would think that he's getting fairly strong intel if not being briefed directly: https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/26093665.southampton-unlikely-deny-efl-charge-spying-disciplinary/ But you are right - on a re-read it is 'not expected to', rather than 'have confirmed'. Fair dos.

If that is genuinely the incident that Boro are banking on as grounds for expulsion, then they will be laughed out of the panel. That's the 'professional recording equipment' is it? Absolutely comical. Just give us the fine and let those poor Boro players go on holiday, they looked tired enough after 60 minutes as it was

Joking aside, great post. Thanks for going to the effort of reasoning it out and sharing it.

So in summary: pin it on the intern and we're golden 👍

True, but the point of the enquiry isn't a black or white 'did you do it or didn't you?'. We've already said we're not contesting the charges which is us saying 'yes, we had someone there, we're not denying that'. The crux of it is all in the detail — what exactly happened, who it was, what their role was, whether they were they acting alone or briefed to do it by senior management, when exactly it took place, whether it was a one-off or systematic, what they actually got, how much effort they went to to obtain it, how useful what they got was, whether it materially influenced results, if so how many and which ones, etc etc. Their side are using the media to try to paint a picture of large-scale, systematic, cynical cheating. Our side will be trying to play it down as 'oh come on, it's really easy to do and everyone does it — it was just an overzealous kid taking advantage of the fact that anyone can see straight onto their training pitch from the road'. Personally, I think clips like the Sky one are far more supportive of the latter, and judging from the comments under the video it seems that most people who have watched it, many of whom are neutral, feel the same. Small details become very important in cases like this which aren't 'did it happen' but are instead 'what exactly happened and how bad was it'. Personally, I suspect the reality is somewhere in the middle, but as with all legal cases like this it's not what anyone thinks happened, it's what can be proved, and then it's down to the panel to decide how egregious or otherwise they think that behaviour was and what a fitting punishment should be. Small details really matter in that scenario.

Nonsense. There's a world of difference between breaking in somewhere, trespassing on private land etc and standing where any man on the street can stand and watching something that is in full public view. It won't get anyone off, but it is obviously relevant. Lawyers use details like that all the time to provide mitigation and get punishments reduced. It's basically what they're paid to do.

If this is true, why didn't they say anything at the time? Why would they wait for someone else to flag it before they presented their vital dossiers? Especially Wrexham, who we last played at the beginning of April, and who would surely have raised it then when there was still time for them to benefit from getting a place in the playoffs? I smell bullshiiiiiiiiiiiiit

On public land, watching people play football on a pitch without a fence round it, like you, I or anyone else could Boro should be expelled from the league for being too fucking stupid to put a fence up

BREAKING: The two clubs are Sarisbury Sparks under-11s and Jossy's Giants, who both train on the common, just behind the swings

Bookies will always make it as easy as possible for an idiot to give them their money

That clip is exactly what needed to come out. As soon as people actually see that the guy was stood on public land, the correct side of a sign marking where the private land starts, 150m away from a pitch where they are so concerned about security that they they haven't bothered to put a single fence up so it is completely open and visible to anyone strolling past or playing golf, they realise just how utterly ridiculous this whole thing is. It's farcical. Everyone in those comments just laughing at Boro and saying it's a joke. Just show that clip to the panel.

The 14 days expire the day before the play-off final 🤣 When do tickets for the final go on sale? As soon as tickets start getting sold, there's no way they can kick us out and reinstate another club. Logistically alone it's just not possible, and they're not going to delay the final, and they're not going to delay selling tickets for the final, so if we stick to our guns over the 14 days it's basically impossible not to let us play in it. Edit: Benjii beat me to it

Which is precisely why we should tell the little cunt to fuck off while we let the panel handle it.

CSI Middlesbrough starring Steve Gibbo Gibson as 'The Don' and Kim Hellberg as 'Cryin' Lil' Bitch'. Tune in for the next gripping instalment: Saturday 23rd May, 4pm, Sky Sports Main Event (Subtitles available for those watching what THB says)

Does anyone know which lawyers the club have called in to represent us in this? Because I was thinking the same thing. In a private case, trying to use the media or third parties to influence the right to a fair trial while it is ongoing is classed as contempt and can make a case collapse. I'd be amazed if our lawyers aren't gathering every single comment and article which has been issued by the staff of Middlesbrough FC, their affiliates in the press, and the wider media in order to present them as evidence that they are trying to influence the outcome of the panel. It's not like they're doing it in secret. I would love it - love it - if we came out fighting and issued a counter-suit along those lines and came at them for defamation and trying to pervert the course of justice.

Funny how he was fine about it all before the first leg, and then once they failed to break us down at theirs and it was obvious they'd blown their big chance he started crying about how evil we were, almost like he was trying to distract from the fact that he'd managed them from 2nd to 5th and then blown the play-offs. Fucking gimp.

Joking aside they did look unfit. Completely gassed after 70 mins in both games.

What do you mean, 'over'? Didn't you hear, they've got a final to prepare for Best get training while you wait for that phone call Kim 👍

Oh god, Mrs Hellberg's escaped again

This is getting embarrassing for them now. Genuinely fucking pathetic, how do these people get through life?

Exactly. I love new Evil Saints, it's about time. Anyway, lots to enjoy here: https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/the-unofficial-official-southampton-v-middlesbrough-play-off-sf-2nd-leg-match-day-thread.80982/page-52 They're a bunch of fucking twats and I'm delighted we smashed them in the most heartbreaking way possible. MOTM: Harwood-Bellis MOTM runner-up: The ball boy

And then burst into tears 🤣

That is one hell of a trip

Played well