Saints Charged With Spying on Mboro Training

[Lord Duckhunter]

Just now, Convict Colony said:

Honestly seeing shit like "suspicions" from other clubs about this is utter bollocks.

Do you honestly believe this was the first time, dear god…

Proving it, is going to be impossible, but why would a random bloke suddenly start spying on opponents, without knowledge of anyone at the club. From my experience whenever anyone’s caught doing anything wrong, it’s always the “first time”. 

[Saint_lambden]

Prediction is it’ll be 3 points deducted next season (equivalent of one game) and a huge fine (£1m plus). 
 

No doubt it’s not the first time we’ve done it but if other clubs had evidence of it, they’d have made a complaint themselves by now. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Saint_lambden

[Challenger]

If the FA want to make an example with a hard punishment, then a club like Southampton would be absolutely prime for them.

[SW5 SAINT]

I imagine Saints want it dealt with quickly, so that being thrown out of the play offs remains a punishment, which could then be appealed. Otherwise if we’re already out, it’s likely to be a points deduction next season….

[St Chalet]

The worrying thing for me is if we have being doing this all season how bad a manager was Will Still?

[Weston Super Saint]

7 minutes ago, Challenger said:

If the FA want to make an example with a hard punishment, then a club like Southampton would be absolutely prime for them.

Pretty sure they can't intervene as the EFL is self governing.

The FA would need to implement spying rules on all leagues first.

[Appy]

2 minutes ago, SW5 SAINT said:

I imagine Saints want it dealt with quickly, so that being thrown out of the play offs remains a punishment, which could then be appealed. Otherwise if we’re already out, it’s likely to be a points deduction next season….

They’re not going to throw us out. Would cause far too many issues. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

5 minutes ago, Appy said:

They’re not going to throw us out. Would cause far too many issues. 

This.

So many legal issues the EFL would be drawn into - they don’t want

[die Mannyschaft]

Saints should be given 3 plus points for not acting on spy information and doing everything possible to lose the first half.

[St Chalet]

A friend of mine has told me that if we are found guilty we will be forced to play Gavin Bazunu in the final. 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

5 minutes ago, Appy said:

They’re not going to throw us out. Would cause far too many issues. 

Totally agree. They're not going to do that nor will they give us a points deduction. There's precedent. If proven, like Leeds, we will be given a fine.

Take a leaf out of the Ruskies' books. The golden rule of spying is when caught deny everything. And even when there is irrefutable evidence (remembering the novichok Salisbury case), still deny everything and spread misinformation and doubt. That first half display yesterday was proof in itself we weren't spying on them!

 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Totally agree. They're not going to do that nor will they give us a points deduction. There's precedent. If proven, like Leeds, we will be given a fine.

Take a leaf out of the Ruskies' books. The golden rule of spying is when caught deny everything. And even when there is irrefutable evidence (remembering the novichok Salisbury case), still deny everything and spread misinformation and doubt. That first half display yesterday was proof in itself we weren't spying on them!

 

Not sure there is. If I had to put money on it then if we are actually bang to rights I think a points deduction and big fine is the most likely outcome.

[Cuddles]

If we've genuinely sent an intern up to the hotel / golf club opposite Boro's training ground to spy like this, without a full on disguise, someone's head will surely need to roll. What an absolutely noddy thing to do.

Whinging Boro fans are still a bunch of wankers though.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

The club also have to be very careful if they go down the “lone wolf” route that they’re protecting the individual involved.

This could be life altering for them otherwise! Hounded by fans and media, sadly the world we live in nowadays.

Fortunately, we've just brought in someone to look after the lone intern.

I'm sure we all wish Jack Ruby a long and successful time at the club, as damage limitation specialist.

[DrSuess1979]

17 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

A friend of mine has told me that if we are found guilty we will be forced to play Gavin Bazunu in the final. 

Just throw us out of the league now

Save us the agony 

[IFHP]

Middlesbrough are playing this , trying to get all and sundry on their side and doing everything to use it to their advantage. 
 

Their media team are doing a great job keeping it live in the local and national news and social media . 
 

I can’t remember Derby crying like this so much when Leeds did it to them. 

[UpweySaint]

17 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Totally agree. They're not going to do that nor will they give us a points deduction. There's precedent. If proven, like Leeds, we will be given a fine.

Take a leaf out of the Ruskies' books. The golden rule of spying is when caught deny everything. And even when there is irrefutable evidence (remembering the novichok Salisbury case), still deny everything and spread misinformation and doubt. That first half display yesterday was proof in itself we weren't spying on them!

 

I read Ruskies as Simon Rusk related at quick glance and was convinced you were outing him as a master spy!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

BURN HIM!!!

The intern turned me into a newt!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

What a stupid article in the Guardian. No facts, no evidence just join in the pile on with a bunch of fictitious garbage.

The Guardian? Cluelessly jumping on a bandwagon? With no facts?

Don't tell SOG. 🙂

[hypochondriac]

14 minutes ago, IFHP said:

Middlesbrough are playing this , trying to get all and sundry on their side and doing everything to use it to their advantage. 
 

Their media team are doing a great job keeping it live in the local and national news and social media . 
 

I can’t remember Derby crying like this so much when Leeds did it to them. 

TBF though it wasn't during the bg the playoffs. Personally if I were them I'd just concentrate on beating us on Tuesday then none of this matters for them.

[musesaint]

With a bit of luck the disallowed Wham goal against Arsenal today will shift journos attention away from Spygate. 

[LiberalCommunist]

Totally embarrassing and inexcusable. Can't blame the media for the frenzy or Boro for the faux outrage. This is singlehandedly the biggest self sabotage in our history. We are lucky that that first half didn't ruin our chances of promotion. Whoever sanctioned this put our team under far more pressure, in a already massive game, and it nearly cost us big time. And for what? What could you possibly hope to learn from the Thursday training session? One thing, Hackney was not out on the training pitch. If that is what the concern was, then shame on us, its pretty pathetic. 

It ruined the build up to what usually is the most exciting version of a football competition. It spoiled the away day experience, for what should make exciting memories for fans following the Saints.

The second half nearly was far better, but on another day you do not recover from that first 45 minutes. Relief was short lived for me, I was quickly back to anger and frustration. We handed them a gift, & because they failed to make the most of it on the day, does not make it any less expensive now.

I hope lessons are learned from this, even without the bureaucratic EFL punishments that are now in the post. 

 

[whelk]

1 minute ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Totally embarrassing and inexcusable. Can't blame the media for the frenzy or Boro for the faux outrage. This is singlehandedly the biggest self sabotage in our history. We are lucky that that first half didn't ruin our chances of promotion. Whoever sanctioned this put our team under far more pressure, in a already massive game, and it nearly cost us big time. And for what? What could you possibly hope to learn from the Thursday training session? One thing, Hackney was not out on the training pitch. If that is what the concern was, then shame on us, its pretty pathetic. 

It ruined the build up to what usually is the most exciting version of a football competition. It spoiled the away day experience, for what should make exciting memories for fans following the Saints.

The second half nearly was far better, but on another day you do not recover from that first 45 minutes. Relief was short lived for me, I was quickly back to anger and frustration. We handed them a gift, & because they failed to make the most of it on the day, does not make it any less expensive now.

I hope lessons are learned from this, even without the bureaucratic EFL punishments that are now in the post. 

 

fuck me are you for real? Life must scare you quite a lot

[Backrow91]

Looks like the ‘Boro team are flying down tomorrow. Once we know the time of flight get the team out on the St Marys pitch just as the plane is due to come in to land ( assuming the plane comes in that way😅) instant chance to accuse them of spying from above….. yeah tongue in cheek but at the moment humour is all we have as we do not know the outcome Guilty as charged or innocent! Guess we find out soon….. 

[LiberalCommunist]

Stopping WBA using their long throws. Good tactic.

Trying to get our parent company the blame for administration. Desperate, but worthwhile.

This. Embarrassing. 

I'm glad you are happy with it. Good for you. 

[John B]

15 minutes ago, musesaint said:

With a bit of luck the disallowed Wham goal against Arsenal today will shift journos attention away from Spygate. 

Spygate is an interesting situation where a football club as got to the playoffs probably  by cheating as SFC are not refuting the EFL Charge and the spy has been identified as a Club Analyst 

There seems to be something happening as the club has been charged and do not seem to have refuted it.

I would be livid if it was Middlesboro who had been charged and carried out the spying.

Not sure what to think of a manager who cheats being involved with SFC and perhaps Still would have performed better if he had

 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, IFHP said:

Middlesbrough are playing this , trying to get all and sundry on their side and doing everything to use it to their advantage. 
 

Their media team are doing a great job keeping it live in the local and national news and social media . 
 

I can’t remember Derby crying like this so much when Leeds did it to them. 

I agree, it all feels very contrived to give them the maximum advantage, clearly we've not benefited from any info, I think the lone-wolf intern will turn out to have Boro links and this whole scenario has cleverly been manufactured to disrupt Saints 

Edited 2 hours ago by Football Special

[Badger]

1 minute ago, Football Special said:

I agree, it all feels very contrived to give them the maximum advantage, clearly we've not benefited from any info, I think the loan-wolf intern will turn out to have Boro links and this whole scenario has cleverly been manufactured to disrupt Saints 

That’s quite a conspiracy theory to top them all.

In other words, the bloke in the bushes was a plant. 

[wild-saint]

1 hour ago, St Chalet said:

The worrying thing for me is if we have being doing this all season how bad a manager was Will Still?

I heard he seeing the saints IT team because they misspelt him name and he didnt get any of the pre match opposition sounding reports.

[trousers]

1 hour ago, HedgeEnder said:

According to the Echo we’re unlikely to contest the charge at the hearing 

Wonder if that's because we've been given a heads up that the punishment won't be too punitive if we put our hands up to it, even though we think we might have a case to argue against it? (i.e. the "loan wolf" story could have some truth in it, but it'll just be easy to take the punishment rather thand spend time and money contesting it, upon which the fine etc could increase)

[Dirkdiggler]

Blimey wouldn’t want some of you lot in a jury! 
No one has a clue what’s happening or happened apart from those in charge at the club. 
The club press release was a standard benign statement no admission either way. 
Lots of hearsay being re reported and taken as gospel.

 

[Cuddles]

14 minutes ago, Badger said:

That’s quite a conspiracy theory to top them all.

In other words, the bloke in the bushes was a plant. 

And a bit of a weed for running away

[Verbal]

If anyone hears of any vacancies at the club I've actually got secret filming on my CV.

[kwsaint]

1 minute ago, Verbal said:

If anyone hears of any vacancies at the club I've actually got secret filming on my CV.

I dunno if you want to be publicising your history of secret filming…

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Saints should go and flog themselves to God as the crime has been so heinous. 

Incompetent that Saints got caught but this holier than thou attitude from Boro and media is a complete piss take.

[Sheaf Saint]

25 minutes ago, Football Special said:

I agree, it all feels very contrived to give them the maximum advantage, clearly we've not benefited from any info, I think the loan-wolf intern will turn out to have Boro links and this whole scenario has cleverly been manufactured to disrupt Saints 

Is a loan wolf a bit like a loan shark?

[sfc4prem]

Just now, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Saints should go and flog themselves to God as the crime has been so heinous. 

Incompetent that Saints got caught but this holier than thou attitude from Boro and media is a complete piss take.

If only the media pushed as hard on other various issues 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

17 minutes ago, trousers said:

Wonder if that's because we've been given a heads up that the punishment won't be too punitive if we put our hands up to it, even though we think we might have a case to argue against it? (i.e. the "loan wolf" story could have some truth in it, but it'll just be easy to take the punishment rather thand spend time and money contesting it, upon which the fine etc could increase)

He's not even our spy?!

That explains how rubbish he was.

Back to his parent intelligence agency! 🙂

[bangkoksaint]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

The Guardian? Cluelessly jumping on a bandwagon? With no facts?

Don't tell SOG. 🙂

Having been the victim of a Guardian article some years ago I can confirm they do indeed jump on bandwagons with no facts

[EssEffCee]

47 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Totally embarrassing and inexcusable. Can't blame the media for the frenzy or Boro for the faux outrage. This is singlehandedly the biggest self sabotage in our history. We are lucky that that first half didn't ruin our chances of promotion. Whoever sanctioned this put our team under far more pressure, in a already massive game, and it nearly cost us big time. And for what? What could you possibly hope to learn from the Thursday training session? One thing, Hackney was not out on the training pitch. If that is what the concern was, then shame on us, its pretty pathetic. 

It ruined the build up to what usually is the most exciting version of a football competition. It spoiled the away day experience, for what should make exciting memories for fans following the Saints.

The second half nearly was far better, but on another day you do not recover from that first 45 minutes. Relief was short lived for me, I was quickly back to anger and frustration. We handed them a gift, & because they failed to make the most of it on the day, does not make it any less expensive now.

I hope lessons are learned from this, even without the bureaucratic EFL punishments that are now in the post. 

 

How did it spoil the away day experience exactly? Made it better for me.

[Appy]

Just now, EssEffCee said:

How did it spoil the away day experience exactly? Made it better for me.

Only thing that ruined mine was their drum. 

[EssEffCee]

Just now, Appy said:

Only thing that ruined mine was their drum. 

At least we couldn't hear the cunt with the megaphone this time.

[Sheaf Saint]

Just now, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Saints should go and flog themselves to God as the crime has been so heinous. 

Incompetent that Saints got caught but this holier than thou attitude from Boro and media is a complete piss take.

Indeed. And the outrage from even some of our own fans is hilarious. 

There is sooooo much 'cheating' that goes on in football, both on and off the field, that EVERY club is guilty of. But apparently this incident is completely unforgivable, embarrassing etc...

I think some of you need to find another sport to follow.

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, St Chalet said:

A friend of mine has told me that if we are found guilty we will be forced to play Gavin Bazunu in the final. 

There is no way the punishment would be that draconian.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

23 minutes ago, Dirkdiggler said:

Blimey wouldn’t want some of you lot in a jury! 
No one has a clue what’s happening or happened apart from those in charge at the club. 
The club press release was a standard benign statement no admission either way. 
Lots of hearsay being re reported and taken as gospel.

 

Does 1930s Saints Hungarian midfielder Magna Carta mean nothing to them?! Did he die in vain?! 🙂

 

[bpsaint]

Fucking idiotic from the club whatever way we look at it. Whatever marginal game was to be had by spying was completely wiped out by the impetus it gave their fans and their players. Don’t see how some of us are playing it down saying it wouldn’t affect the players or that Tonda will shield them from it, our team was absolutely rattled first half and it’s only due to inept finishing and last ditch defending that we’re still in with a shout in Tuesday. 
 

After all the goodwill about our club, the league form, the fa cup run, pundits waxing lyrical about how incredible our support was against Arsenal and Man City, all of that has been wiped out because of this spy shite. If it was on the doing of Tonda as much as I’ve loved the last 5 months, he’s a fucking idiot, and he’s bought our club into disrepute. 
 

Saturday was still a fairly enjoyable away trip, but having Boro fans shouting cheating bastards and cheating cunts at us, added an edge that didn’t need to be there. 
 

Hopefully after that second half performance the players are over their nerves and with St Mary’s behind them we can get the result we need. Then we can go to Wembley and have a “Nobody likes us but we don’t care” final between us and Millwall.

Edited 2 hours ago by bpsaint

[Willo of Whiteley]

Doubt we’ll know anymore until tomorrow at the earliest - maybe even after the play offs.

I know we’ve clearly done something, but think of this narrative: It actually turns out Saints did nothing wrong at all, become victims of this media witch hunt and unfortunately fail in the play offs. Club could argue something there 😉🤷🏻‍♂️

[Saint NL]

4 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Indeed. And the outrage from even some of our own fans is hilarious. 

There is sooooo much 'cheating' that goes on in football, both on and off the field, that EVERY club is guilty of. But apparently this incident is completely unforgivable, embarrassing etc...

I think some of you need to find another sport to follow.

I'm curious if it was another club found guilty, say Liverpool or Man United. They'd have their big names on Sky, Gary Neville or Carragher explaining how every club does it and it's not big deal, essentially fire fighting. But we're stuck with MLT who everyone knows is a crank and assumes he's wrong about everything 😂

[Holmes_and_Watson]

58 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Totally embarrassing and inexcusable. Can't blame the media for the frenzy or Boro for the faux outrage. This is singlehandedly the biggest self sabotage in our history. We are lucky that that first half didn't ruin our chances of promotion. Whoever sanctioned this put our team under far more pressure, in a already massive game, and it nearly cost us big time. And for what? What could you possibly hope to learn from the Thursday training session? One thing, Hackney was not out on the training pitch. If that is what the concern was, then shame on us, its pretty pathetic. 

It ruined the build up to what usually is the most exciting version of a football competition. It spoiled the away day experience, for what should make exciting memories for fans following the Saints.

The second half nearly was far better, but on another day you do not recover from that first 45 minutes. Relief was short lived for me, I was quickly back to anger and frustration. We handed them a gift, & because they failed to make the most of it on the day, does not make it any less expensive now.

I hope lessons are learned from this, even without the bureaucratic EFL punishments that are now in the post. 

 

Hiring Harry Redknapp

Watching David Speedie

...

[Football Special]

15 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Is a loan wolf a bit like a loan shark?

Yep temporarily joined us from the Wanderers of Wolverhampton. 

But for real check out the background, could be his grandad is a skate and he got a job at Saints for sole intention of sabotage from within., he then tips off Middlesbrough of his intentions to ensure they fulfil their role of reporting him and causing maximum controversy, we could be witnessing a coordinated attempt by Middlesbrough and Portsmouth to damage our football club. 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Football Special