hypochondriac

Insiders believe that now clubs know spying is banned outright, anyone found to have broken the rule can expect a sporting sanction rather than the kind of fine handed out to Leeds. If Southampton are found guilty by an independent commission, they could end up forfeiting a place in the final if they beat Middlesbrough. "insiders"

Another Times article stating we could be thrown out but again, no sources cited so obviously from the Boro side again...

In fact Simon Jordan was being rung live on air by Steve Gibson so he's definitely been talking to him

Hmm. I think it's worth pointing out that Jordan has obviously been speaking to Gibson. He seems pretty convinced that there is some evidence that we've been doing it a lot. Wonder if that can be proved though.

Eh? If that is the argument-which I doubt-the the argument is we had no knowledge that he was going to observe training during the period he should not be doing so.

They're scared of losing.

Some of the articles about this are very funny. "all options are on the table" well yes you'd expect that to be the case in every circumstance. If someone nicked a penny sweet you're going to keep your options open during an investigation just in case they discover that you've also murdered a whole bunch of people. Boro desperately scrabbling for proof of other spying campaigns and thus far coming up empty before they've even lost this evening.

Yep. I hope we take the full 14 days. Would be really funny if it wasn't resolved the to.e the final rolls around if we make it.

Oh he will be back. He always is.

Yeah I mostly agree with that. I reckon Mahmood would be the most effective out of all of them (and a minority woman so lots of people would like that) but no chance the PLP elect her. I'm just hoping whatever the new leader does, we can move away from the managerialism and obsession with international law. I'm also hoping that whoever it is manages to junk the assisted suicide Bill.

Although I can see that Burnham on the face of it has a much wider appeal than the other two, his actual policies sound like the opposite of what we need. Loosening the financial rules and ignoring the bond markets in order to go on a spending spree with more money that we don't have is a recipe for disaster.

Depends how you measure worst. I'd say his ability to communicate, charisma and his ability to actually be a politician he's up there.

Although Starmer has been an awful PM and has done very little right, I am inclined to agree with @whelk that some of the silliness from the media over the past few days has been ridiculous. Rather like all this stuff with our spying, is it really necessary to have an hour by hour update on which moment the Prime Minister is resigning and counting each individual MP telling hin to go? All a bit unseemly from a media desperate for clicks and turning the management of our country into a TV drama series.

I heard we are already making the necessary arrangements

Imagine if we win tomorrow and Boro keep on training for ten days. Not only will we have robbed them of promotion but we'll rob them of a chunk of their summer holidays too! Mugs.

So many articles out now. So obvious they all emanate from the North and we have said nothing. Quite pathetic really.

Breaking news. The independent board were due to give us a slap on the wrist as early as today but someone has sent them the Boro fan petition and it looks like we could be in deep trouble.

We can all play that game and issue a load of fanciful things. Saints have made two demands to the EFL: 1) they let us off with a big fine and a public ticking off. 2) they let us drink discounted pints in our seats next season.

Boro making demands to the EFL now apparently. Again, it's wrongdoing that we have done and that will be determined by the independent body. Middlesbrough can make all the demands they like.

To any Boro fans reading this - just beat us on the field of play tomorrow and then we can shake your hands and have no complaints. Equally if you lose don't go on a big whiny sulk and demand you replace us in the final.

I'd love to know how long he was there for before being discovered? Could have been five minutes for all we know.

Look like a bit of reality might have started to penetrate slightly: "Hate to say it chaps... But I think we're in a bit of a bubble here. The general consensus I can gather from other fan forums, social media, talksport etc is that they're more on Southampton's side than ours. As in they're more like 'Bit naughty you got caught! Small fine it is' rather than thinking this is some massive cheating scandal. Only my observation and gut feel... But anyone thinking they'll be kicked out the play offs is away with the fairies. It's probably going to fire their players/fans up if anything."

You've got one calling for police raids of our board room and forensic investigations of all electronic devices. Absolutely barmy.

I thought Karl Turner seemed like a decent bloke and then they booted him out!

Christ is Blue Labour racist now as well? I can't keep up!