Saints Charged With Spying on Mboro Training

[Sardonic Squirrels]

I won't lie I look in on this several times a day to keep up with events as with One Boro forum for their own thoughts and in truth it's a great read, better than most stuff on TV.   Two club names hundreds of miles from each other at other ends of the country who up til now didn't really have to do with each other, now locking horns and a sense of animosity brewing.   It's fun as a neutral fan trying to keep out of it but we were largely responsible for denying them three points a few weeks back with a late penalty that wasn't.    They were upset then but thankfully this new issue has seen all that go off the boil and divert attention elsewhere and then some. 

Irony is if they'd rightfully won that night Millwall would now be promoted and they'd still have failed to make it.   I hope you don't get excluded from the play offs because of this issue but they surely can't exercise that as a cause of action at this stage.    Think someone said in an earlier response probably the best thing to settle this spat was simply have a Boro spy infiltrate a Saints training session and tit for tat kind of thing.    All talk of expulsion and points deduction, excessive fines, fuck knows what else, is all largely unnecessary and out of hand.   Hope someone in authority can see through all this for what it is and exercise some common sense. 

It's a shame all Saints good work in the league and Cup heroics seem to have been largely overlooked now with this spying caper, it just detracts from a fine season and other endeavours of praise.   Be aware one more time Boro can play and fight hard when they need to whether home or away and this issue is only going to galvanise them to work harder in the return fixture in a few days.   Yes OK we've already made it up and for that I have to be thankful but this altercation between clubs involved hasn't gone unnoticed by other fans.  The return at St Mary's promises something epic that we can sit back and watch unfold.  

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Sounds their manager was trying to drum up the "neutral support" in his press conference. Alluding to the fact that they have a lot of admirers for the way they play and that they are known as a club for doing things the "proper" way.

[sfc4prem]

1 minute ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Sounds their manager was trying to drum up the "neutral support" in his press conference. Alluding to the fact that they have a lot of admirers for the way they play and that they are known as a club for doing things the "proper" way.

A club not on anyone's radar, Boro.

[Mboto Gorge]

2 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Sounds their manager was trying to drum up the "neutral support" in his press conference. Alluding to the fact that they have a lot of admirers for the way they play and that they are known as a club for doing things the "proper" way.

He’s another wet cunt. Match made in heaven for them. They’re taking over from the scousers as the new biggest victims in football. Embarrassing 

[Matthew Le God]

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence and could walk on a public footpath a few yards from the training pitch. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldn't see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted, wouldn't need to be a club employee. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing. That is why people have frosted glass on bathroom windows!

Edited 4 hours ago by Matthew Le God

[Miltonaggro]

3 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Sounds their manager was trying to drum up the "neutral support" in his press conference. Alluding to the fact that they have a lot of admirers for the way they play and that they are known as a club for doing things the "proper" way.

They are a club a decade out of the top flight who bottled their best chance weeks ago, and are now shitting themselves and trying to stir the shit to gain minor advantage.  That's what most of the neutrals see.

[Willo of Whiteley]

According to the Times, Middlesbrough are convinced that their season won’t be over on Tuesday night even if they lose.

Go on then, throw the game Boro, let’s see how confident you muppets are 😂

[Holmes_and_Watson]

14 minutes ago, Tom57 said:

 

4) AND the person in question will have to be obviously affiliated with Southampton and not possibly be just some overzealous fan, which may be very difficult if they're crouched in a bush 100m away from the camera 

Good point. Someone in a spy's trenchcoat, affiliated with Southampton, and doing odd things in bushes might just Neil Shipperley.

 

14 minutes ago, Tom57 said:

What would be especially funny is it other clubs start looking and find spies from other clubs, possibly even Middlesbrough!

Meanwhile, Cambridge look around nervously at the thought of another spy ring.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

9 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

According to the Times, Middlesbrough are convinced that their season won’t be over on Tuesday night even if they lose.

Go on then, throw the game Boro, let’s see how confident you muppets are 😂

Don't give the EFL the idea of implementing a third place play-off for the play-offs...

[UpweySaint]

29 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

In terms of Saints contesting the nuclear option, the clubs reasonable response would be swift and highly public litigation which I strongly feel SFC would likely win (with damages, restitution, and costs).  The EFL, and their advisors (at South Square) are not stupid enough to risk opening that multimillion pound can of worms in my view. 

That’s my feeling really. It would be a brave move from the EFL - right or wrong. 

[Miltonaggro]

13 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence and could walk on a public footpath a few yards from the training pitch. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldn't see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted, wouldn't need to be a club employee. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing.

Very good point.

[trousers]

15 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence and could walk on a public footpath a few yards from the training pitch. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldn't see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted, wouldn't need to be a club employee. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing.

The rule is all about intent, not opportunity....

[Holmes_and_Watson]

12 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

According to the Times, Middlesbrough are convinced that their season won’t be over on Tuesday night even if they lose.

Go on then, throw the game Boro, let’s see how confident you muppets are 😂

Unless the EFL is happy to give us a £200 million war chest from our legal action to play in the Championship next season, if 'boro lose, then it's over for them.

[Saint-Reece]

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

[Maggie May]

16 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence and could walk on a public footpath a few yards from the training pitch. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldn't see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted, wouldn't need to be a club employee. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing.

Interestingly, Crystal Palace has a new build block of flats called Maybrey Works overlooking their Copers Cope training ground. Literally anyone could hire it out and watch training if they wanted. 

[Mboto Gorge]

19 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldnt see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing.

I’d imagine if/when the legal process comes about, this would be a key factor for the defence 

[AlexLaw76]

3 minutes ago, Saint-Reece said:

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

They have gone full-on weirdo.

Dancing Dawson is more level headed this any of their lot online 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 minutes ago, Saint-Reece said:

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

Hopefully they'll be able to reduce their inconvenience, when they realise they are delusional.

[LGTL]

4 minutes ago, Saint-Reece said:

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

They are completely and utterly batshit mental. Do they seriously think the EFL will kick us out the playoffs AFTER we’ve already won 😂😂 Just imagine the consequences of them actually doing that. I knew northerners were thick, but blimey. 

[Mboto Gorge]

Are this lot the biggest set of fannies of a fanbase ever? I don’t even think Pompey would’ve reacted this hysterically if we did it against them and got caught. That’s how pathetic these twats are 

[Disco Stu]

6 minutes ago, Saint-Reece said:

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

That can't be real 😂

[for_heaven's_Saint]

Asked also if his side had been practising penalties, he replied: “Yes, we have. That was something we did today and had also done last week.” He was then asked how important it is that nobody from another club was watching his players take the penalties. “I don’t know,” he replied.

Part of Middlesbrough’s anger is believed to come from the fact that they may still have to sell 35,000 final tickets to their supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday night but are then found guilty of breaching EFL regulations and kicked out of the play-offs.

Middlesbrough will have to deal with the logistics of keeping their players fit and alert to the possibility that they could lose the game and still play in the final, as well as booking flights and hotels themselves for the showpiece, which is at Wembley on May 23.

“We have a plan for every day up to the final,” Hellberg said. “I think I need to — and we need to — try to talk about the game. That’s the most important thing now. Like I said, I answered all those questions very honestly, what I think about it, on Saturday to everyone. Now I want to prepare my team for this game.”

Edited 4 hours ago by for_heaven's_Saint

[Lee On Solent Saint]

15 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

According to the Times, Middlesbrough are convinced that their season won’t be over on Tuesday night even if they lose.

Go on then, throw the game Boro, let’s see how confident you muppets are 😂

Are thet really expecting us to be thrown out of the play offs? Leeds received a fine, it's a massive leap from that to be kicked out of an entire cup tournament, as that is what the play offs effectively are. Also, lets not forget Leeds admitted to doing it one more than one occasion, this if proved to be true is once. They really need to get a grip on reality.

[Patrick Bateman]

7 minutes ago, Saint-Reece said:

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

That can't be real? 😂😂😂😂😂

[Miltonaggro]

5 minutes ago, trousers said:

The rule is all about intent, not opportunity....

Yep, but the 'rule' has no legal weight whatsoever. The scrutiny of a court will make this clear.  If Saints agree to pay a fine to the EFL it's to be compliant, a courtesy to their professional body, nothing more.  If the club suffers genuine financial loss or the reputational damage is serious, they will likely have Middlesbrough and the EFL on toast, and rightly so.

[Matthew Le God]

24 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence and could walk on a public footpath a few yards from the training pitch. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldn't see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted, wouldn't need to be a club employee. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing.

 

8 minutes ago, trousers said:

The rule is all about intent, not opportunity....

You or I or any member of the public could walk past the training pitch, make notes and then email them to an opponent. No intent from the club, but they can still find out info as there has been no attempt to block the view from the public. If they were concerned about privacy they'd block the view. That is why people have frosted glass on bathroom windows!

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

10 minutes ago, trousers said:

The rule is all about intent, not opportunity....

They'd have had more privacy in a tent than a public hotel I guess.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 minute ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Are this lot the biggest set of fannies of a fanbase ever? I don’t even think Pompey would’ve reacted this hysterically if we did it against them and got caught. That’s how pathetic these twats are 

I'm wondering how I missed the footage of the intern using their knowledge to block or put off every one of 'boro's shots before running off the pitch. That must have happened to have got such a level of outrage.

[Willo of Whiteley]

12 minutes ago, Saint-Reece said:

🚨 Part of Middlesbrough’s ‘anger’ comes from the fact that they may have to sell 35,000 play-off final tickets to supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday, but are then found guilty of breaching regulations & kicked out #saintsfc @TimesSport
 

this lot are bonkers 🤣🤣🤣

They struggled selling 30,000 with a longer notice period, pretty sure most of them they were giving away to the local press after our story started 😂

[Master Bates]

Anyone with a subscription?

https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-15808703/The-key-evidence-sink-Southampton-Spygate-scandal-punishment-face-guilty-analyst-caught-watching-Middlesbrough-training-session-bushes.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_dailymailsport

[Dr. Kucho]

2 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

Anyone with a subscription?

https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-15808703/The-key-evidence-sink-Southampton-Spygate-scandal-punishment-face-guilty-analyst-caught-watching-Middlesbrough-training-session-bushes.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_dailymailsport

Here you go https://archive.ph/swajy

[Willo of Whiteley]

2 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

Anyone with a subscription?

https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-15808703/The-key-evidence-sink-Southampton-Spygate-scandal-punishment-face-guilty-analyst-caught-watching-Middlesbrough-training-session-bushes.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_dailymailsport

Who’s admitting to subscribing to the Daily Mail?

It’s like admitting voting for Brexit or being a Nigel Farage fan!

[Master Bates]

2 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Who’s admitting to subscribing to the Daily Mail?

It’s like admitting voting for Brexit or being a Nigel Farage fan!

It's alright, used paywall buster in the end.

[Appy]

Forensic analysis of mobile phones, computers and bank statements could hold the key to learning whether Southampton are guilty of systemic spying on rival teams.

Daily Mail Sport understands there is a suspicion that the sessions of several Championship clubs have been secretly observed by Saints staff this season.

This comes after we revealed last Thursday that a Southampton first-team analyst was caught allegedly recording Middlesbrough’s training from the bushes ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final first leg, which ended goalless. On Friday night, the EFL charged the South Coast club with a breach of their rules.

Sources close to the case say the League have been asked to obtain all relevant devices and records that could reveal evidence of previous spying. A digital footprint of suspected individuals, including bank statements, could prove significant, if such activity did occur on multiple occasions.

It is not yet known if this evidence will form part of Southampton’s impending hearing in front of an independent disciplinary commission or when that will take place, with the play-off final scheduled for a week on Saturday.

The urgency of the matter is presenting several challenges, such as what Middlesbrough will do with their players should they lose Tuesday night's second leg.
 

 

The commission has it within their power to impose a range of sanctions if Southampton are found guilty of spying, from a fine to expulsion from this season’s competition. It is thought Middlesbrough’s hierarchy will push for the latter.

That being the case, it is likely Kim Hellberg’s squad would continue training for the time being.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation believe that the suggestion Southampton could claim the spying was the work on a lone individual within the club would not be taken seriously. 

We revealed last week that the person accused of spying on Middlesbrough is an intern in his early 20s. It is thought he deleted videos and pictures on his mobile phone when confronted by Boro staff, before running into the nearby Rockliffe Hall and changing clothes and fleeing the area.

Saints boss Tonda Eckert refused to answer questions on the accusations following the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, and the club did not hold a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday night's return game. If senior individuals within the club admit or are proven to have known about spying, it would raise serious questions over their future.

Hellberg accused Southampton of ‘cheating’ at the weekend and his club want Southampton’s punishment to be ‘sporting’ rather than a mere financial penalty, if found guilty.

The Boro head coach revealed on Monday that his squad practised penalty kicks last week, again highlighting the advantage Southampton could have gained by recording their session.

Hellberg chose to sidestep the majority of Spygate questions, but he did say: ‘I follow the rules. It’s very simple, very, very simple. It’s a question of rules, and we follow the rules. Then it’s the people who make the rules and how they’re going to stand up to the rules. That’s what it’s about (now).’

An EFL spokesperson declined to comment.

 

[Appy]

Literally all of these articles are from North East based journos being briefed by Boro. 

[Master Bates]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Kucho said:

Here you go https://archive.ph/swajy

Which site did you use? Better than what I found

[mack rill]

12 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Are this lot the biggest set of fannies of a fanbase ever? I don’t even think Pompey would’ve reacted this hysterically if we did it against them and got caught. That’s how pathetic these twats are 

Kin-ell, if your lot think they could learn summert from our rabble, then fill yer boots😉 

[Miltonaggro]

15 minutes ago, for_heaven's_Saint said:

Asked also if his side had been practising penalties, he replied: “Yes, we have. That was something we did today and had also done last week.” He was then asked how important it is that nobody from another club was watching his players take the penalties. “I don’t know,” he replied.

Part of Middlesbrough’s anger is believed to come from the fact that they may still have to sell 35,000 final tickets to their supporters at short notice if Southampton win on Tuesday night but are then found guilty of breaching EFL regulations and kicked out of the play-offs.

Middlesbrough will have to deal with the logistics of keeping their players fit and alert to the possibility that they could lose the game and still play in the final, as well as booking flights and hotels themselves for the showpiece, which is at Wembley on May 23.

“We have a plan for every day up to the final,” Hellberg said. “I think I need to — and we need to — try to talk about the game. That’s the most important thing now. Like I said, I answered all those questions very honestly, what I think about it, on Saturday to everyone. Now I want to prepare my team for this game.”

You can feel the pure idiotic desperation...

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 minutes ago, Appy said:

 

Forensic analysis of mobile phones, computers and bank statements could hold the key to learning whether Southampton are guilty of systemic spying on rival teams.

Daily Mail Sport understands there is a suspicion that the sessions of several Championship clubs have been secretly observed by Saints staff this season.

This comes after we revealed last Thursday that a Southampton first-team analyst was caught allegedly recording Middlesbrough’s training from the bushes ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final first leg, which ended goalless. On Friday night, the EFL charged the South Coast club with a breach of their rules.

Sources close to the case say the League have been asked to obtain all relevant devices and records that could reveal evidence of previous spying. A digital footprint of suspected individuals, including bank statements, could prove significant, if such activity did occur on multiple occasions.

It is not yet known if this evidence will form part of Southampton’s impending hearing in front of an independent disciplinary commission or when that will take place, with the play-off final scheduled for a week on Saturday.

The urgency of the matter is presenting several challenges, such as what Middlesbrough will do with their players should they lose Tuesday night's second leg.
 

 

The commission has it within their power to impose a range of sanctions if Southampton are found guilty of spying, from a fine to expulsion from this season’s competition. It is thought Middlesbrough’s hierarchy will push for the latter.

That being the case, it is likely Kim Hellberg’s squad would continue training for the time being.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation believe that the suggestion Southampton could claim the spying was the work on a lone individual within the club would not be taken seriously. 

We revealed last week that the person accused of spying on Middlesbrough is an intern in his early 20s. It is thought he deleted videos and pictures on his mobile phone when confronted by Boro staff, before running into the nearby Rockliffe Hall and changing clothes and fleeing the area.

Saints boss Tonda Eckert refused to answer questions on the accusations following the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, and the club did not hold a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday night's return game. If senior individuals within the club admit or are proven to have known about spying, it would raise serious questions over their future.

 

Hellberg accused Southampton of ‘cheating’ at the weekend and his club want Southampton’s punishment to be ‘sporting’ rather than a mere financial penalty, if found guilty.

The Boro head coach revealed on Monday that his squad practised penalty kicks last week, again highlighting the advantage Southampton could have gained by recording their session.

Hellberg chose to sidestep the majority of Spygate questions, but he did say: ‘I follow the rules. It’s very simple, very, very simple. It’s a question of rules, and we follow the rules. Then it’s the people who make the rules and how they’re going to stand up to the rules. That’s what it’s about (now).’

An EFL spokesperson declined to comment.

 

They followed the rules when they forfeited that game when they didn't want to play it then?

[Osvaldorama]

They’re fucking insane. 
 

it’s the most minor thing ever that hasn’t impacted the game in the slightest. 
 

Getting boring as fuck now 

[trousers]

16 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

You or I or any member of the public could walk past the training pitch, make notes and then email them to an opponent. No intent from the club, but they can still find out info as there has been no attempt to block the view from the public.

If that's what happened then we've nothing to worry about then... 🙄

[LGTL]

All these articles appearing the day before the game, just like Friday. Quelle surprise. 

Hatchet job from the NE based journalists, all orchestrated by Boro officials who are petrified they’ve blown their big chance. 

Edited 4 hours ago by LGTL

[Dr. Kucho]

3 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

Which site did you use? Better than what I found

www.archive.ph use that for any article you want to read that needs subscription and nearly always it will work. Just copy the link and paste it on their website. 

[Miltonaggro]

4 minutes ago, Appy said:

 

Forensic analysis of mobile phones, computers and bank statements could hold the key to learning whether Southampton are guilty of systemic spying on rival teams.

Daily Mail Sport understands there is a suspicion that the sessions of several Championship clubs have been secretly observed by Saints staff this season.

This comes after we revealed last Thursday that a Southampton first-team analyst was caught allegedly recording Middlesbrough’s training from the bushes ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final first leg, which ended goalless. On Friday night, the EFL charged the South Coast club with a breach of their rules.

Sources close to the case say the League have been asked to obtain all relevant devices and records that could reveal evidence of previous spying. A digital footprint of suspected individuals, including bank statements, could prove significant, if such activity did occur on multiple occasions.

It is not yet known if this evidence will form part of Southampton’s impending hearing in front of an independent disciplinary commission or when that will take place, with the play-off final scheduled for a week on Saturday.

The urgency of the matter is presenting several challenges, such as what Middlesbrough will do with their players should they lose Tuesday night's second leg.
 

 

The commission has it within their power to impose a range of sanctions if Southampton are found guilty of spying, from a fine to expulsion from this season’s competition. It is thought Middlesbrough’s hierarchy will push for the latter.

That being the case, it is likely Kim Hellberg’s squad would continue training for the time being.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation believe that the suggestion Southampton could claim the spying was the work on a lone individual within the club would not be taken seriously. 

We revealed last week that the person accused of spying on Middlesbrough is an intern in his early 20s. It is thought he deleted videos and pictures on his mobile phone when confronted by Boro staff, before running into the nearby Rockliffe Hall and changing clothes and fleeing the area.

Saints boss Tonda Eckert refused to answer questions on the accusations following the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, and the club did not hold a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday night's return game. If senior individuals within the club admit or are proven to have known about spying, it would raise serious questions over their future.

 

Hellberg accused Southampton of ‘cheating’ at the weekend and his club want Southampton’s punishment to be ‘sporting’ rather than a mere financial penalty, if found guilty.

The Boro head coach revealed on Monday that his squad practised penalty kicks last week, again highlighting the advantage Southampton could have gained by recording their session.

Hellberg chose to sidestep the majority of Spygate questions, but he did say: ‘I follow the rules. It’s very simple, very, very simple. It’s a question of rules, and we follow the rules. Then it’s the people who make the rules and how they’re going to stand up to the rules. That’s what it’s about (now).’

An EFL spokesperson declined to comment.

 

A good response to these hacks would be 'and under what legal power will the mobile phones, computers and bank statements be seized?' and 'what offence is to be investigated by the police?' - The Gibbo Delusion Act 2025?  Fuck me, enough material for an entire conference...

[LeBizzier69]

Am I allowed to be a bit concerned over the ruling, or should I ask the wife to tell me to stop being a fanny?

[Saint NL]

He's talking about Hantavirus, but I can't help that feeling there's a little crossover here 

[benjii]

8 minutes ago, Appy said:

 

Forensic analysis of mobile phones, computers and bank statements could hold the key to learning whether Southampton are guilty of systemic spying on rival teams.

Daily Mail Sport understands there is a suspicion that the sessions of several Championship clubs have been secretly observed by Saints staff this season.

This comes after we revealed last Thursday that a Southampton first-team analyst was caught allegedly recording Middlesbrough’s training from the bushes ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final first leg, which ended goalless. On Friday night, the EFL charged the South Coast club with a breach of their rules.

Sources close to the case say the League have been asked to obtain all relevant devices and records that could reveal evidence of previous spying. A digital footprint of suspected individuals, including bank statements, could prove significant, if such activity did occur on multiple occasions.

It is not yet known if this evidence will form part of Southampton’s impending hearing in front of an independent disciplinary commission or when that will take place, with the play-off final scheduled for a week on Saturday.

The urgency of the matter is presenting several challenges, such as what Middlesbrough will do with their players should they lose Tuesday night's second leg.
 

 

The commission has it within their power to impose a range of sanctions if Southampton are found guilty of spying, from a fine to expulsion from this season’s competition. It is thought Middlesbrough’s hierarchy will push for the latter.

That being the case, it is likely Kim Hellberg’s squad would continue training for the time being.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation believe that the suggestion Southampton could claim the spying was the work on a lone individual within the club would not be taken seriously. 

We revealed last week that the person accused of spying on Middlesbrough is an intern in his early 20s. It is thought he deleted videos and pictures on his mobile phone when confronted by Boro staff, before running into the nearby Rockliffe Hall and changing clothes and fleeing the area.

Saints boss Tonda Eckert refused to answer questions on the accusations following the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, and the club did not hold a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday night's return game. If senior individuals within the club admit or are proven to have known about spying, it would raise serious questions over their future.

 

Hellberg accused Southampton of ‘cheating’ at the weekend and his club want Southampton’s punishment to be ‘sporting’ rather than a mere financial penalty, if found guilty.

The Boro head coach revealed on Monday that his squad practised penalty kicks last week, again highlighting the advantage Southampton could have gained by recording their session.

Hellberg chose to sidestep the majority of Spygate questions, but he did say: ‘I follow the rules. It’s very simple, very, very simple. It’s a question of rules, and we follow the rules. Then it’s the people who make the rules and how they’re going to stand up to the rules. That’s what it’s about (now).’

An EFL spokesperson declined to comment.

 

Just a rehash of before.

Although hilarious that they want a speedy resolution but also some sort of forensic deep dive! We can string that out for months.

[AlexLaw76]

At the start of this I was pretty flippant in saying some of our precious fans would be equally pissed off and start chirping up.

However, not to these insane levels of orchestrated nonsense. As some said further up, Pompey fans would not be this mental had we been caught 'spying' on them, and they fucking hate us.

The last few days have been remarkable, from what I thought were a pretty hardy/tough set of fans.

They have literally gone all deranged. I know they have been out of the top flight for a while, trust us, it aint that good up there.

Edited 4 hours ago by AlexLaw76

[S-Clarke]

I thought Simon Jordan was spot on with how he summarised it earlier. What we have 'potentially' done is poor form, not great taste, but certainly not the crime of the century. He's spot on really, what sporting advantage are you seriously going to gain from taking a couple of pics and audio from a single training session? It clearly didn't work anyway, as they did us 4-0 earlier in the season and pummelled us in the first half at the weekend.

EFL will just slap us with a fine, slap on the wrists. Watch yourself etc etc. Job done. Middlesbrough are embarrassing themselves here, if this had happened to us and people like Adam Blackmore and Alfie were acting like this in the media I'd be cringing like fuck. 

As Simon Jordan said, they've got an excuse if they fail to get to the final now. The fans will suddenly forget the failure of being in t he Top 2 for 217 days and failing to finish there, and all of a sudden the furore is deflected to a 'third party'. They'll probably keep the charade going for a good week or so if we get through too.

 

[benjii]

Also why are they grumbling about making plans for the final? You would do that anyway. Weird.