kitch

Big announcement at 7pm

Law of averages suggest at least one person in this thread has guessed the outcome

He says a lot of odd things tbf.

Dear Leicester City, If Southampton also spied on you this season, and hadn't thumped you twice, you wouldn't have been relegated, so I think you have a legit claim to the EFL to not be relegated and for Southampton to take your place instead and have the 1/4 final against Arsenal replayed by yourselves, but a bye into the semis against Man City at Wembley because that's fair. Oh, and Tonda has to wear a fox costume for one week. Sincerley, Steve G

You know what I mean though? It's just a phone. Mine's got a better zoom than most, but they can all do 20x these days. Couple of grainy stills, of who's where and when and back in the car and down the A1 again in time for tea. Jobbed.

Like most of us, this has been in my head for the past few days and last night I started speculating: There is no 'spying' equipment in this situation. There's no mic; no analytical data stuff...it's a guy with a phone. My take on it? He nipped inside the grounds to see if he could see who was training (HH being the main target). I know that's still against the 72hr rule, but it has to be taken into context when it comes to the world and his wife thinking we're some kind Putin-esque wrong'uns who've cheated their way to a nigh-on 20 game unbeaten run. Teams included in that have security and facilities well above Boro's (i.e Arsenal, Fulham, Leicester and so on). Why the phone? Honestly, I reckon it's the easiest way of zooming in, and it can be recorded to be viewed back when you have time (and you're not somewhere you're not supposed to be). Binoculars look bloody obvious, and he's hardly going to whip out a telescope. A drone wouldn't be the most subtle of ways to work, either. During the recent legends game, I was sat in the Itchen south. Couldn't figure out who was who half the time, so out came the phone... Ah yes, there's SRL, Jos, Surman etc Arsenal game, at the end. Fancied capturing the joy on the player's faces from Kingsland North... Ipswich game the other night. Couldn't suss out who was with Prutton on the presenting team. Out comes the blower... Zoom lenses on phones these days are ridiculous. I could climb a tree on the side of the A326 and zoom in over the fence at Staplewood to see who's training, too. My take? I reckon there's a car outside on the grass verge with the hazards on, and he's literally decided off his own back to nip in, find out some key info (i.e. who's training) and dash back before anyone notices. He was already in the area prior to the 72hr window doing what all teams do, but then goes rogue (or possibly instructed) to swing by really quickly and see who's training. He gets spotted, panics, runs into the shop to get a coffee to make it seem innocent but then overthinks it and changes his top, too. Mind you, all they've said was "Altered his appearance" so for all we know, it might be he put his driving glasses back on, or put a hat on. I don't reckon Tonda or the club knew, I reckon the analytics side probably knew he was going to cheekily nip back in on his way back and see if he could grab a key bit of intel in a fit of youthful exuberance. Club is probably hopping mad from the top down and I imagine heads in the analytics dept will roll. If it was just Salt going rogue, he's a very silly boy, but I can't see it just being him. Coaching staff, no, but analytics depts will do EVERYTHING they can to get an advantage. "Boss, just found out Hackney's not training"...that's big news. And now I'm pissed at myself for speculating and adding to this ongoing drama.

Only until that evidence is brought to light, there isn't.

Middlesborough won't feel like justice has been done if they've already allowed us to put tickets on sale before the hearing. They'll think it's a fix. Unless there's something else lurking in the bushes (intended) that nobody knows about, we'll be at Wembley and probably be fined and have some senior first team coaching staff suspended for (up to) 6 months. They can't get give a points deduction for the PL and they won't want to issue a suspended one.

Must be very bendy

.

He liked his own post as well. Definitely dodgy.

At least he bought something in the shop when he used the toilet. That's integrity.

What weird parallel universe is this where Agbonlahor is talking sense?

Agreed. Arsenal was the best game I've ever been to.

A fuckin' worldy, too.