Saints Charged With Spying on Mboro Training

[EssEffCee]

3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Well if they have little defence it wouldn’t be much of a slanging match. Which is why I said it’s a sign of guilt. 

Doubt anyone actually believes we're not guilty do they?

[coalman]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Source?

The Boro forum?

[Saint86]

4 hours ago, Toussaint said:

That’s it in a nutshell, I’m surprised more people aren’t onto it. Our “spying” was for minimal gain, they are trying to destabilise us, get entry to a playoff final by any means and potentially the premier league. 

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 🙃

[Appy]

23 minutes ago, Fleetbeast said:

Would that be every Southampton fan you’ve spoken to Appy?
 

 

Wasting a post on this. 
 

Off you pop until tomorrow. 

[stknowle]

Former Middlesbrough stalwart thinks that the only just and logical punishment is for us to be thrown out of the competition. Well said that clearly unbiased man with no skin in the game!

[coalman]

Just now, stknowle said:

Former Middlesbrough stalwart thinks that the only just and logical punishment is for us to be thrown out of the competition. Well said that clearly unbiased man with no skin in the game!

It does make sense. They've turned an easy 2nd place into 5th. Last thing they need right now is to have to win a football match.

[AlexLaw76]

If the “plan” is to throw us out if we win, then we will know tomorrow… surely.

 

[LordHester]

55 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Narrative control. Exactly what I said initially and exactly what any good PR team would set out to achieve. You’d think the club would want some sort of detail out there about what happened if they had any kind of defence. But as I said, given their only line seems to be they aren’t going to fight the charge then maybe they don’t have a defence and they just want to focus on mitigating the punishment. 

Or maybe the club recognise that what matters now is getting in the ear of the adjudicating panel (who are probably a bit busy for social media at the moment) – everything else is just noise.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, stknowle said:

Former Middlesbrough stalwart thinks that the only just and logical punishment is for us to be thrown out of the competition. Well said that clearly unbiased man with no skin in the game!

What punishment is he advocating for a club that is trying to unduly influence and undermine an independent enquiry?

[Sunglasses Ron]

love this from a Middlesbrough fan:

“That they do not retire from the play offs just shows how little regard they have for the industry they are in, which is supposed to still have sporting principles (though we all know it is totally money driven).

Hopefully Boro will win tonight but if not Southampton should be fined a sum that negates the full financial benefit they derive from winning (including the millions they receive if they win the play off final).”

So we should either pull out of the playoffs now, or accept a £200m+ fine. 

 

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

love this from a Middlesbrough fan:

“That they do not retire from the play offs just shows how little regard they have for the industry they are in, which is supposed to still have sporting principles (though we all know it is totally money driven).

Hopefully Boro will win tonight but if not Southampton should be fined a sum that negates the full financial benefit they derive from winning (including the millions they receive if they win the play off final).”

So we should either pull out of the playoffs now, or accept a £200m+ fine. 

 

What is wrong with these people??

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What is wrong with these people??

They're scared of losing. 

[Appy]

This could backfire on Boro. 
 

If we win tonight and the final, they keep appealing and pushing it

 

Then the EFL boot us out and promote Hull, leaving us both languishing in the Championship. 

[Midfield_General]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What is wrong with these people??

They're scared they're going to lose? 

[Saint86]

2 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

@Fabrice29 Your club statement has arrived, or are you still not satisfied?

Also @AllBoroFans 😘

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

They're scared of losing. 

They are good enough to beat us later, they should have a little more faith in their side

[sadoldgit]

50 minutes ago, Fleetbeast said:

Having a right chuckle at some of the comments on here. 
Just answer these two questions right now.  Did you send someone up to Middlesbrough to spy on them less within 72 hours of the game. Yes or no will do for now. 
Have you spied on any other teams this season, within 72 hours of a game with them. Yes or no. 
 

You can provide the phone records tomorrow. 
 

Thank you. 

1. The club are innocent until proven guilty.

2. The EFL rules state that the club have 14 days to respond to the charges.

3. The club have agreed to comply with the process.

There is a match tonight. Win it and Boro are through to the final. Why don’t you just focus on that instead of whipping up a frenzy, which might be over nothing, or are you so worried that you won’t win (after blowing second place) that you are putting your energy in trying to get a bye? Not very sportsman like is it?

By the way, all of our games this year are available to “spy” on, as are yours. I’d be very surprised if either side came up with anything new in match day. Actually, that is not quite true. I was very surprised how bad we were in the first half on Saturday and how you didn’t manage to score any goals when you were so dominant.

[Willo of Whiteley]

24 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Well if they have little defence it wouldn’t be much of a slanging match. Which is why I said it’s a sign of guilt. 

Would you not agree that it’s easier just to say nothing. The narrative has already been done. 
🤦🏻‍♂️

[Patrick Bateman]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What is wrong with these people??

It's a football forum, full of knobheads, but more knobheady than this forum it appears ... 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Patrick Bateman said:

It's a football forum, full of knobheads, but more knobheady than this forum it appears ... 

I don’t think I have ever seen a collective online group of people lose their minds like this. 
 

[Patrick Bateman]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

I don’t think I have ever seen a collective online group of people lose their minds like this. 
 

True, it is quite extraordinary really

[CanadaSaint]

The EFL know that their decision will be hugely controversial and will probably be challenged in court, no matter what they decide. Their best friend is ANY precedent they can find.

There are two precedents they could cite - the Leeds punishment (a fine imposed on the club), and the suspension handed out to Bev Priestman, the Canadian women’s team manager, who had full knowledge; ironically, she was born in Consett – about 40 miles from Boro’s training ground.

My “reading between the lines” is that the search is on (“internal review”) for a head to reluctantly serve up on a platter. Suspension of the member of the coaching staff who authorized this would be a “sporting sanction”, just like it is for a player. I don’t see a points deduction – it would punish the fans (Hellberg had no problem with our fans or players), and it wouldn’t have any immediate impact if we end up getting promoted. Expulsion would be a legal gong show.

My money is on a heavy fine and someone on the coaching staff getting suspended for a year; hopefully it’s not Tonda.

[Saint NL]

The latest rumour on that crazy Boro forum is that the analyst was caught wearing a full Boro training kit. That shows the level of planning in the cheating.

 

 

 This can't be good for them, it's utter delusion at this point

[bpsaint]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

I don’t think I have ever seen a collective online group of people lose their minds like this. 
 

I thought scousers were the worst when it comes to faux outrage and being hard done by, but these Boro fans are another level.

[revolution saint]

2 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

The latest rumour on that crazy Boro forum is that the analyst was caught wearing a full Boro training kit. That shows the level of planning in the cheating.

 

 

 This can't be good for them, it's utter delusion at this point

TBF, that does explain why his first priority was changing his clothes.

[RedArmy]

1 minute ago, Saint NL said:

The latest rumour on that crazy Boro forum is that the analyst was caught wearing a full Boro training kit. That shows the level of planning in the cheating.

 

 

 This can't be good for them, it's utter delusion at this point

They’re going to be found rocking back and forth in darks rooms tomorrow, murmuring “they’re going to be kicked out, they’re going to be kicked out” 

[Saint In Cornwall]

Boro section ready

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

15 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

The latest rumour on that crazy Boro forum is that the analyst was caught wearing a full Boro training kit. That shows the level of planning in the cheating.

 

 

 This can't be good for them, it's utter delusion at this point

Presumably by buying the kit, we've helped them financially.

[Midfield_General]

16 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

The latest rumour on that crazy Boro forum is that the analyst was caught wearing a full Boro training kit. That shows the level of planning in the cheating.

 

 

 This can't be good for them, it's utter delusion at this point

It was a false flag operation all along! They got scared they were going to lose so they sent their own guy in to do it just so they could start all this nonsense and try to get us chucked out

I knew it

[gecko]

Long shot, but is anyone on here unfortunate enough to live near the Hull training ground and is free/willing to stand outside it for a few hours with some binoculars and a camera phone? 

[Saint Garrett]

21 hours ago, LGTL said:

They’re the most pathetic, wet fanbase I’ve ever had the misfortune of seeing. You can really, really tell that they don’t have a proper rival. Absolute freaks. 

Bournemouth of the North East

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

I said I find it a bit odd and sign of guilt that they’ve let the narrative be pushed from one side only. 

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).

[trousers]

28 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

My money is on a heavy fine and someone on the coaching staff getting suspended for a year; hopefully it’s not Tonda.

I'm sure we could rustle up some clandestine equipment so Tonda could still manage the team 'remotely'...;) 

[Cuddles]

15 minutes ago, gecko said:

Long shot, but is anyone on here unfortunate enough to live near the Hull training ground and is free/willing to stand outside it for a few hours with some binoculars and a camera phone? 

And a very long (professional) microphone capable of capturing audio from coaches on the field opposite. Oh and some (professional) (live) streaming equipment.

[WinglessWonder]

1 hour ago, Appy said:

Every fan I’ve spoke to without skin in the game don’t think we’ve done anything that bad. 
 

Average response is “meh, you’ll just get a fine”. 

Simply untrue; every football fan in the world hates saints with a passion and sr clamouring for the club to be dissolved. 

Maybe... 🤔

[Winnersaint]

Simon Jordan adding yet more hysteria.

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Winnersaint

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

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 🙃

through the book and a humiliating defeat at them tonight!

[trousers]

I still reckon our line of defence will be something along the lines of: "Yes, like a lot of clubs, we do send out our junior analysts to view opposition training sessions, where publicly accessible vantage points are available, but we always tell them to stick within the governing body rules in doing so. It's down to each analyst to make sure they adhere to the rules and we're disappointed on this occasion that this hasn't happened"

[SNSUN]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What is wrong with these people??

They're worried that we'll beat them and their chance of the Prem will have to wait another year. That's what this boils down to. They want us thrown out so they have an easy ride to the Final. 

Maybe you stop moaning about something you have literally no control over, back your team as we will be doing, and hope your team is the best one on the night. 

Yes we did it. Probably. There's no smoke without fire. But trying to rush it through before tonight's game shows the amount of confidence they have in their own team.

[saintant]

11 minutes ago, trousers said:

I still reckon our line of defence will be something along the lines of: "Yes, like a lot of clubs, we do send out our junior analysts to view opposition training sessions, where publicly accessible vantage points are available, but we always tell them to stick within the governing body rules in doing so. It's down to each analyst to make sure they adhere to the rules and we're disappointed on this occasion that this hasn't happened"

I think we'll have to do a lot better than that. If we admit to sending a junior analyst and he didn't stick within the rules we are in the shit. The only argument is if we had no knowledge that he'd gone there.

[Doctoroncall]

13 minutes ago, saintant said:

I think we'll have to do a lot better than that. If we admit to sending a junior analyst and he didn't stick within the rules we are in the shit. The only argument is if we had no knowledge that he'd gone there.

Yep, plausible deniability. 

[Midfield_General]

16 minutes ago, saintant said:

I think we'll have to do a lot better than that. If we admit to sending a junior analyst and he didn't stick within the rules we are in the shit. The only argument is if we had no knowledge that he'd gone there.

I don't think it's that black and white. 

The club can fess up to sending someone up to have a casual cheeky look because the training ground is in full view of some public areas, but can claim they otherwise told him to stick to the rules. 

If he then ignored that when he got there and went rogue in direct contravention of what he was instructed to do by the club, then it creates a greyer area where the individual takes more responsibility and probably gets fired, and the club pays a fine, but it's less serious overall because his specific, more serious actions weren't ordered by the club. 

That case is even stronger if the person in question admits that they were acting of their own volition and contrary to what they were told to do. Or if they were maybe somehow 'persuaded' to say that, to take the fall. 

Which is what I personally think will happen.

Edited 1 hour ago by Midfield_General

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, EssEffCee said:

Doubt anyone actually believes we're not guilty do they?

There’s people calling for defamation cases on this very forum

[Saint_lambden]

1 hour ago, CanadaSaint said:

 

My money is on a heavy fine and someone on the coaching staff getting suspended for a year; hopefully it’s not Tonda.

Unless of course he knew about it happening/agreed to it, in which case he’d have to be suspended too. 

[RedArmy]

2 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

There’s people calling for defamation cases on this very forum

With tongues firmly planted in their cheek. 

[hypochondriac]

18 minutes ago, saintant said:

I think we'll have to do a lot better than that. If we admit to sending a junior analyst and he didn't stick within the rules we are in the shit. The only argument is if we had no knowledge that he'd gone there.

Eh? If that is the argument-which I doubt-the the argument is we had no knowledge that he was going to observe training during the period he should not be doing so.

[Sold To The Man @ The Bar]

Just doc 6 pts and a fine (if proven guilty) that means we just played the games ass about face 

[Football Special]

I’ve just called the EFL complaints team. After reading Southampton’s CEO’s press release stating that Southampton are asking the EFL to give them time, and bear with them, while they held an ‘internal review’ (kick the situation into the long grass in the hope that this situation won’t hinder their attempts to make it into the premier league) I decided to register my complaint. 

My complaint was that the EFL should not give them any time to conduct any internal review. Southampton have admitted what they’d done, the EFL had already charged them, and so why did everyone have to wait until Southampton held this ‘internal review’ before the disciplinary body, imposed their penalty upon Southampton? 

I told the EFL representative that it was a blatant delaying tactic. I also stated that me complaining, probably wouldn’t make a difference to anything in the greater scheme of things. 

However, I pointed out that I didn’t care about that.

I told them I was making my complaint, because as a Middlesbrough supporter, I felt duty bound to do that in defence of the club I support. 

I also said I was complaining because what is happening here, goes against the ‘fair play’ ethos, that the game is constantly trying to champion. 

If you want to do the same as me, the EFL complaints department number is 01772325829. Their email is enquiries@efl.com. Make sure you give them your name and email address.

[Football Special]

Like a deranged stalker Middlesbrough fans are now harassing the EFL 

[ChristopheVAFC]

2 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Like a deranged stalker Middlesbrough fans are now harassing the EFL 

It's so pathetic of the Boro fans, haha 🤣