Saint Pete

Agree with you there. It is part of the manager's (and more senior club management's) jobs to make sure they and everyone else knows the rules. If it's gonna be our excuse that Tonda didn't know the rules because he is an inexperienced German, then we will make ourselves look even more pathetic and incompetent than we have so far.

So we have no right to a fair appeal on what a proportionate punishment should be?

Regarding the appeal, would we have any legal argument to go to court to get some kind of injunction to stop the game being played on Saturday as we are not being given any time to prepare our appeal? Decision on Tuesday and appeal on Wednesday feels unusual and unfair no matter what you think about what we have done.

What are Hull FC thinking of this? It's Wednesday morning and they still don't know for certain who they will be playing on Saturday or even the kick off time. So they need to prepare their plans for 2 teams now rather than one?! Bizarre situation and I would not be happy at all if I was Hull manager. I am a little suspicious that this is all being managed in Boro's favour with their influence at the EFL. In all likelihood it will be Boro now but they are keeping Hull in limbo for as long as possible. If Hull don't end up going up, I would think they may have some kind of claim against the EFL for how this has been handled?

Great news fro Ross and well deserved. Interesting that McBurnie hasn't made the squad despite 17 goals in the Championship this season. Clarke obviously doesn't fancy he has the quality for international football, but you could certainly argue that for a couple of the other strikers making the trip as well!

If Stephens can show he is fit, he should come back in in my opinion. Wood should be commended on the job he has done the last few games but I feel we looked more solid with the THB/Stephens pairing. The only other change I would make from Boro home game is Downes in for Charles, who will obviously still have an important role coming on later. Would keep Stewart in up top, thought he had a good game on Tuesday, Larin to come on later.

Could be fun to watch to be fair! The yanks would love it, might result in a late change to the rules in the World Cup?

I know there is stuff out there that says he went to Villa but can't honestly think all this would have gone this far if the guy Middlesborough caught is not even a current Saints employee or contractor. Surely??!!

I get what you are saying but I think I practice as the charge will have been proven for that to happen, the attitude will be "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime". But worth a try in atguing that I guess!

Totally agree with you about Hull, I have been thinking the same. Massive game for them and a great achievement for them. They are completely innocent bystanders in all this and now their fans, team and club have to live with all this uncertainty, hassle in making their travel plans etc. What an utter mess and shambles.

https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2026/may/14/Ticket-Details-Wembley-Play-off-Final/ Hull's ticket info online now.

I agree it's extremely unlikely and almost impossible the final would be moved. But I guess the EFL can't be seen to be deciding the outcome of this based on the timetable rather than the offence (if there was one). I think that is why the EFL are attempting to get the hearing done before the final and that means before the tickets go out otherwise it would look like the decision on punishment had already been made before the hearing. That doesn't mean we will be kicked out, just that EFL want a decision out there pre final.

Yeah, that was the point. To show that the original plan was for both finalists to release the ticket details on Wednesday. But there has been an unexplained delay, which now looks almost certainly to be related to the investigation/charge. Other posters were disputing that.

But was the very minor advantage that this action would have achieved (even if done more competently) really worth all this risk and hassle when we surely believe we are a better team than Boro anyway?

Yes, but it shows that the original schedule was definitely to release ticket details on Wednesday, when we briefly posted our plan. So there has been a delay from the original plan which is the point.

My theory is the EFL want to put something out before the ticket stuff starts happening. That may be a final decision or it may be some kind of holding response to show they have at least carried out part of the process/investigation before the play off final is confirmed, possibly to try to placate Boro to some extent.

https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2026/may/11/City-are-bound-for-Wembley/ Yep, see last paragraph. Clearly some kind of decision, statement or at least holding response incoming from EFL before the ticket stuff goes out in my opinion.

Yes, it seems that both Hull and Saints have been told to hold off on announcing the ticket details for now, Hull originally said on their site the details would be released on Wednesday. Neither side is saying why the delay, so something is going on today you would think. My gut feel (based on no knowledge!) is the EFL want to say something today before the tickets go out, even if it is not a final decision, maybe to try to placate Boro to some extent and show that part of the process/consideration has been carried out before the play off final. Maybe some kind of EFL holding statement is being drafted and they want to put that out before the ticket stuff starts happening?

Although on Tuesday (before our match), Hull put article on their OS saying full ticket details would be released on Wednesday following conclusion of our semi final. So, it seems there has been a delay to both clubs putting the info out without a clear explanation. Seems odd, guess we will know soon enough if anything is going on.

Absolutely. You don't hear any of these pundits / hypocrites like Troy Deeney calling for expulsion, points deductions, result reversals etc when someone is shown post match to have dived to get a penalty do you? But that is blatant cheating of the officials and opposition that directly affects the result of the game, much more so than what we are accused of doing.

Which is a much more sensible view. A lot of this sanctimonious, hypocritical nonsense coming out in the press really sticks in the throat, particularly when coming from pundits who themselves were well known for doing anything they could on the pitch to con the officials and cheat the opposition.

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/wembley-play-off-final-range-available-for-pre-order-now These will be collectors items if we do get chucked out! 🤣

I got that impression he wasn't gonna give one to either side unless it was a full on assault in the box! In fairness, I'm glad the game wasn't decided by a debatable penalty.

I think I read somewhere that EFL could recommend a points deduction to apply for the Prem next season (if we get there) but it would be the Prem's decision on whether to apply it?

Yep, anyone who says St Mary's can't generate an atmosphere in future, refer them to this game! I almost missed the window for tickets and ended up in Itchen/Chapel Corner but even there it was pretty good tonight.