Saint86

Could be a case of Boro have scored too early here. It's given us a kick up the backside a least.

Media shit storm has coat us. Miles off it.

Is that genuine? The one earlier he said he hadn't spoken to Gibson but had markedly changed his tune from yesterday re it now being "cheating" and boro will expect to be in the final one way or another. Lost a lot of respect for what Jordan says if he's just acting as a mouth piece for hire. Certainly adds very clear evidence of Boro using the media to gain a sporting advantage.

I think it speaks volumes that boro have opted to resort to the underhand tactics that they are tbh. Ultimately the case is the case - saints and boro know the score on that front, the side scrapping for any advantage they can grab would be the one i'd assume is worried they won't get what they want out of it.

I think saints have been incredibly professional since the story broke tbh, unlike Boro. We've tried as best as possible to ignore the surrounding media storm (that boro have been deliberately building for on/off field advantages), and instead just focus on the game. In terms of our first statement, it was exactly what i wanted to see given this was going to be happening whether we wanted it to or not - it gave boro nothing, inflamed the reaction on their side, and gave them an avenue to waste more energy on / distract themselves with etc. Meanwhile Tonda and the team have just been heads down focussing on the game. Ultimately this side will be won on the pitch. I trust Tonda to get the team as prepared as possible given what Boro have created off the pitch, and its on the fans to do their part tonight (i.e. lift the team and rattle boro's).

Also @AllBoroFans 😘

I think its pretty obvious that Boro are now in the wrong just as much as saints imo. They've whipped up a media shitstorm - Totally undermining the integrity of the game. All over alleged offences, and with significant damage to our preparation and reputational damage to boot. They could potentially find themselves in some hot water depending on what happens with the independent tribunal. Personally think Eckert deserves plaudits for managing to get through this - has a playoff semi final ever been played under such scrutiny and with the manager part of an orchestrated nationwide witch hunt? Let alone our playing squad and associated staff who are all innocent. Boro have been absolutely out of right and tried to manipulate this for on field advantage, and to enact pressure on the EFL to give them a bye to the final as an advantage over all other clubs... throw the book at them i say 🙃

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gDm1DSAn1hBacMTG6?g_st=ac Now I'm not saying anyone should do this... but there does happen to be plenty of bushes and a convenient hill to the immediate north west corner of their training ground, right by what looks like the main pitch 👀 Equally though, if a team were prepared to pay fines (ala Leeds), they could just offer a fair wedge to one of the overlooking home owners instead, and then set up a professional recording studio in a bedroom etc that overlooks the pitch? As far as I'm aware, the training ground staff wouldn't be able to break into a property to challenge any covert operatives... These teams really do need to start thinking about security 🤷🕵️‍

No way, he gets the ball.

Boro been disqualified for fabricating spygate, to be replaced by the victims of the original spygate? 🤣

Hah.. I think it's plausible (as others have said) that we've paid an analyst to do some work for us, and they're remote and we haven't asked how they do it 🤷. But fundamentally we still don't know for certain who is allegedly involved. And it would still be a 1 off that delivered us no shooting advantage (evidently). So hard for the efl to justify too much of a punishment. If the club have routinely had someone going to every single team's training grounds all season then I think we are in a whole different ball game and will land a significant punishment. I would be more worried about that than any blow back from the Boro game - they dominated us for 45min and can only have themselves to blame for not winning, we very clearly had no advantage due to any alleged spying 🤷

If it's William Salt (if - his name has only been leaked by unnamed Boro sources), then I think it's very unlikely we have commissioned him (intern / graduate) to go traipsing all over the country by himself to do covert surveillance. Imagine he has an accident driving for work and the club needs to explain why he's driving to/from Coventry's training ground 2 days before a game for example. When it broke, I don't think the club knew what had happend (possibly still don't), and so they just tried to ignore it and focus on the footy. Which is the correct approach. And thinking about it more recently, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if tonda was told not to go for it too much in the first leg as well - as it would only have added fuel to the story if we went up there and comfortably beat them. Rock and a hard place really... Could explain why he was delighted with how the game went... All according to plan? Take away any threat from Gibson about us having a sporting advantage?

Saints should try and get him back. Would be a better signing than larin for the money 🤷

So in summary, still no evidence saints did anything, no material harm done to Boro, and significant harm done to saints in terms of reputation and match prep. At least we won't have to worry about Gibson coming after saints, love to see their lawyers argue they've been materially disadvantaged... If it's true, we helped them sell out and generate an atmosphere for their game of the season, and then we gave them a free hit for the first half... We're in the clear in that front ☺️😌

I'm not sure the club knows what's gone on tbf. But they could equally just be focussing on the playoffs, simply acknowledging there is a charge, and getting on with the football rather than spending loads of time allowing this to distract us.