Saint86

It won't happen, but if you think what amounts to a £200M+ fine is proportionate punishment for a young lad stood behind a fence with a mobile phone watching the u21s pitches, you've utterly lost the plot IMHO and have caved into this pure conjecture media shit storm that Boro have whipped up. Let alone the rumoured points deductions. If we've done it, a sensible mid ground punishment would be somewhere in the ball park of a £200k-£500k fine and maybe a 2-3 points deducted next season in the EFL (to satisfy the wolves and make an example of us). The EFL should then use their brains and remove this stupid rule as no other major league has it and watching training is common place - but that won't happen because they are incapable of missing any opportunity to create problems with half arse rules. This hasn't cost Boro their place at wembley, but we would have misbehaved enough to have caused a stink for the EFL..although I'd wager Boro's antics are pissing the elf off a fair amount as well tbh.

Hopefully they've been given a view that it's not happening and needs to try and save face.

Blackmore making a tit of himself again here. Still doesn't know any facts (and if he does he should shut up anyway) and he's on social media calling the club morally repugnant... Meanwhile you have all and sundry in the game saying it's standard for analysts to be watching training, it's common throughout Europe and South America etc, and the premier league (the richest League in the world) doesn't even bother with a rule to stop it. Saints are the victims at this point. Any minor offence we may have commited pales in significance to the media witch hunt and national defmation that Boro have whipped up. Normally we deserved a slap on the wrist for the initial offence... We've even got some people acting like the equivalent of a £100M (sporting chance) to 200M fine (assuming we win) and points deduction is in some way justified FFS. The entire club is trying to stay professional, keep quiet, trying to let this wash past us and deal with the inquiry and prepare for the playoffs... And Blackmore is out there feeding the media storm and calling the club morally repugnant because it's aledged that a young lad from the club stood at a boundary fence with his mobile phone... aledged - still. The man is an idiot at times. He knows less than the telegraph journalist that said we had a spy hiding in the bushes with professional photography and sound equipment....

If Boro were confident of anything, the very simple and obvious fact is that we wouldn't be reading about it in the press... The reality is that if we are reading anything at this stage, it's being leaked by Boro to try and bias the hearing and panic Southampton... But it equally means that's their only hope of getting whatever lesser deal their after. They are probably trying to bully us into a payment. I hope solak tells Gibson where to go on principle tbh.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/jason-taylor/profil/trainer/126892 And also, Jason Taylor's linked in profile has been deleted, still shows up on Google searches but link to his profile or posts by his profile won't work. So clearly taken down recently. Busted sunshine.

My goodness, that is going to really set the Boro lot off.. the telegraph sports department will be lucky if they have any credibility left by the end of the week at this rate. I sincerely hope any Southampton fan with a telegraph subscription is cancelling it after their shockingly inaccurate and defamatory coverage of the club this week.

Simon Jordan is just another of Gibson's pet media contacts.

I think Gibson is determined to ruin our playoff hopes. Can you imagine how unsettling and off-putting all this is for the players, coaches, and Eckert? He's a slash and burn kinda guy is Gibson. Saints only recourse to 'beat' him, is to go to wembley and win, and then to do everything possible to defend the club and to try and go after Boro/Gibson with everything we've got after the fact.

If so, we were the ones stupid enough to get caught.

That text is 2days old and predate the Boro game?

The more they look like they're liable for some serious blow back from saints I would suggest.

Produced by the BBC? Sounds like a series of complaints may be required...

Agree with those points. But i wouldn't underestimate Hull. They are the silent assassins of these playoffs. Whilst the shit storm was going on with us an boro, they quite comfortably despatched Millwall, despite only just making the playoffs at the very end of the season. They're a very good counter attacking side and it will be tough.

His reaction to the ayling vs THB incident was interesting. First time I've seen him lose his control... Reading into it perhaps, but I saw it as he viewed it as one lie to many by Boro, and very nearly did let his anger and frustration out... But perhaps a snippet there that we can gleam something from. I.e., He very clearly viewed it as complete bullshit, and be was very clearly at his limit with tolerating Boro bullshit. Add to that his post match comments about wanting to speak but not being able, and I get the impression there is a bite back coming from the club. Although whether we'll just shut up and take a lesser punishment as part of a deal I don't know.

The saying, "Nice guys finish last" exists and is oft repeated for a reason. Is it time saints grew a bit of an edge in reality? Any offences are still alleged at this point regardless, but certainly the club's reaction was the only way to counter Boro's media with hunt, and ultimately it caused a full blown head loss (which was self inflicted) for Boro - and which contributed to them fluffing their lines tonight for sure.

There is clearly more to this than meets the eye. Hoping saints are able to bite back at Boro.

Did sky just break for adverts with an immediate trailer for a spy programme called ponies? That's next level trolling surely? 🤣😂

Not gonna lie, a bit of alcohol went a long way to take the edge off. Fantastic character and comeback by saints. Superb. And to do it on the back of the last 5 days of almost national trial by media is even more so impressive. Feel a bit for the Boro players, but equally as a club and fanbase they generated the shit storm that's ultimately cost them I think.

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 🙃