Saints Expelled from Playoffs

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

4 minutes ago, sambosa75 said:

It’s a nice thought but the players have been badly let down by the club.  Their efforts have been completely undermined by the actions of a few.  It’s a really easy “out” for any of them that wish to take it and I don’t doubt that a few of them will.

We've all been completely let down by the club but I won't be leaving.

It seems watching other teams practice was part of the pre-match preparations. I can't believe just Tonda and an analyst knew it was going on. It wouldn't surprise me if it turns out lots of clubs do it and players know it goes on. 

[Hussar Saint]

I’m done with it, this club won’t be getting any more money out of me. I may take a fleeting interest from afar, but I’m no longer wasting my hard earned cash on this corrupt and broken shit show of a sport. We’ve been utterly let down by everyone from the club to the FA and beyond.

I hope Hull City batter those whinging Boro CUNTS!!

[BotleySaint]

I do feel that if it wasn't for the media pressure and constant public attacks on the club. And if Middlesbroiugh didn't have such close ties with the EFL. Then the punishment wouldn't have been so severe. 

[Doctoroncall]

NTT20 take on Spygate 2.0

[Jack]

6 minutes ago, Guan 2.0 said:

Tonda, and his staff (and this is presuming there is no ban from the FA) must stay. Because the successful media firestorm has made us toxic, and we won't appoint anyone better. We would be reduced to the retired and the inept. 

Keep whoever is willing out of Peretz, Larin (harder, as they are loans), Scienza, THB, Bree and Jander. We have many excellent players, but I believe those would be the hardest to retain. 

If Parsons has taken the path of admitting to everything, advising Tonda and his staff to admit to everything, and overseeing a process where outgoing staff are not given NDA's, on top of not hiring a Legal team specialising in prevarication at the first whisper of anything amiss, and allowing Middlesborough comms to leak, dominate, and set the agenda, then he must step down.  

Additionally, offer one free ticket to a game next season to anyone who bought a playoff final ticket.  37000 sold, so the tickets would have to be spread over the first 3 or 4 games. 

Realistically speaking, that would be a good first day of Recovery. Onwards to the Top 8 next year! 

Absolutely can’t see it. The club will want and need to save as much face as possible and the only way to do that is clear out those involved and start again. This reputation will follows us around for a long long time. Players will rightly feel betrayed and let down, the good ones will find new clubs and we’ll be left with another rebuild. 
 

As for the fans, reckon the club will very generously offer a season ticket price freeze, or maybe only a 5% increase. 

[Harry_SFC]

The -4 is even more of a kick in the teeth. With all the upheaval the best we could hope for is top 8. Even that's being optimistic next season I think. 

[Harry_SFC]

13 minutes ago, Guan 2.0 said:

Tonda, and his staff (and this is presuming there is no ban from the FA) must stay. Because the successful media firestorm has made us toxic, and we won't appoint anyone better. We would be reduced to the retired and the inept. 

Keep whoever is willing out of Peretz, Larin (harder, as they are loans), Scienza, THB, Bree and Jander. We have many excellent players, but I believe those would be the hardest to retain. 

If Parsons has taken the path of admitting to everything, advising Tonda and his staff to admit to everything, and overseeing a process where outgoing staff are not given NDA's, on top of not hiring a Legal team specialising in prevarication at the first whisper of anything amiss, and allowing Middlesborough comms to leak, dominate, and set the agenda, then he must step down.  

Additionally, offer one free ticket to a game next season to anyone who bought a playoff final ticket.  37000 sold, so the tickets would have to be spread over the first 3 or 4 games. 

Realistically speaking, that would be a good first day of Recovery. Onwards to the Top 8 next year! 

Agree about Parsons needing to go but no way can Tonda stay. We can't restore any sort of reputation with him as manager. 

[skintsaint]

5 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

The -4 is even more of a kick in the teeth. With all the upheaval the best we could hope for is top 8. Even that's being optimistic next season I think. 

We probably were -20 this season after Stills effort...😅

[Scoobysaint]

I can’t see who stays or more realistically who wants to stay. Stephens will hang around as a club man, Bragg as he’s getting game time, and then who? Quarshie, Archer, Edozie?The players have given a lot for this campaign, especially towards the end of the season, sacrificing days off and family time. And for what? They will all be looking to get out and not sure how we could stop them after this. Yes, they’re contracted but we all know that means very little if a player wants out.
I think I’m done with it for a while. Just a bit fed up with football. I’ve not watched international games for many years now, and stopped watching MOTD or caring about the Prem once we went down. A bit sick of it all now, especially Saints. 

Edited 35 minutes ago by Scoobysaint
Spelling

[Harry_SFC]

Just now, skintsaint said:

We probably were -20 this season after Stills effort...😅

That's true. But it was a remarkable turn around with what was still a very good squad. Just can't see that being the case next season. Maybe this whole thing has just depressed me.

[tdmickey3]

7 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

It doesn't.  But when it comes out that this practice is widespread how many clubs are going to be sanctioned?

The leagues would have limited numbers if they kick them out,  if true of course.

[23rdSaint]

17 minutes ago, Doctoroncall said:

NTT20 take on Spygate 2.0

Tough listen, particular as George Elek is such a sanctimonious wanker, but hard to disagree with much of it. 

[Pilchards]

Going to find it hard to make a go of it next season.

Some good teams coming down from the EPL  for starters, being called cheats and booed every game, 50% of our better players leaving plus it’s going to be hard to attract a good manager and some players.

The biggest one is the atmosphere will be flat as our supporters will only half fill  the home matches. I will even go as far as our away support will be diabolical. 

[SNSUN]

I had a pretty bad dream last night that we got expelled from the final and our appeal failed and nobody got sacked for it. Mad right? 

Anyway. Anyone else looking forward to the final? We should beat Hull I reckon. 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

4 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

Going to find it hard to make a go of it next season.

Some good teams coming down from the EPL  for starters, being called cheats and booed every game, 50% of our better players leaving plus it’s going to be hard to attract a good manager and some players.

The biggest one is the atmosphere will be flat as our supporters will only half fill  the home matches. I will even go as far as our away support will be diabolical. 

Agreed. I am done with it and will be stepping away. I don’t think there is anything they can do to make this right and I have a life to live without all this shit getting me down

[LeBizzier69]

22 minutes ago, Scoobysaint said:

I can’t see who stays or more realistically who wants to stay. Stephens will hang around as a club man, Bragg as he’s getting game time, and then who? Quarshie, Archer, Edozie?The players have given a lot for this campaign, especially towards the end of the season, sacrificing days off and family time. And for what? They will all be looking to get out and not sure how we could stop them after this. Yes, they’re contracted but we all know that means very little if a player wants out.
I think I’m done with it for a while. Just a bit fed up with football. I’ve not watched international games for many years now, and stopped watching MOTD or caring about the Prem once we went down. A bit sick of it all now, especially Saints. 

We would have been faced with this had we not beaten Hull in the final anyway…..just need to make sure we get top dollar for those with a few years left on their contracts.

 

[Thripp87]

Alex Crook really is a prick, claiming the players will be branded cheats now. You can’t even use that word in the same sentence for them after this shit show.

Tells you all you need to know when an ex Pompey player is saying it’s ridiculous (o hara) and I see Merson has too.

[Hopper]

41 minutes ago, Guan 2.0 said:

Tonda, and his staff (and this is presuming there is no ban from the FA) must stay. Because the successful media firestorm has made us toxic, and we won't appoint anyone better. We would be reduced to the retired and the inept. 

Keep whoever is willing out of Peretz, Larin (harder, as they are loans), Scienza, THB, Bree and Jander. We have many excellent players, but I believe those would be the hardest to retain. 

If Parsons has taken the path of admitting to everything, advising Tonda and his staff to admit to everything, and overseeing a process where outgoing staff are not given NDA's, on top of not hiring a Legal team specialising in prevarication at the first whisper of anything amiss, and allowing Middlesborough comms to leak, dominate, and set the agenda, then he must step down.  

Additionally, offer one free ticket to a game next season to anyone who bought a playoff final ticket.  37000 sold, so the tickets would have to be spread over the first 3 or 4 games. 

Realistically speaking, that would be a good first day of Recovery. Onwards to the Top 8 next year! 

Don't see how Tonda stays, nor do I wan't him to. Thanks for the memories and all that but ultimately his actions directly lead to everything that's happened. The players will be absolutely furious with him.

The club need to do a full internal investigation and anyone with knowlege, be it Parsons, Spoors et al. need to go.

It's not going to be easy but we need to completely rebuild to move on.

No doubt many players will want out, if we receive good offers we should take them, recoup funds and re-invest.

To think we can move forward otherwise is completely unrealistic. 

[Zorba]

Saints are now tarnished with being cheaters. There simply isn’t anything worse in sport and no matter what, it’s a stick that will be used to beat us for years to come.

The club needs to re-energise the fan base somehow and fill the stadium next season - there will be plenty of empty seats. Restore this club’s reputation back to being the decent, honest family club that it used to be. Plenty of kids for a quid days and community based family fun days. There is so much more a football club can do for the community and ours owes us and now need to step up. This debacle has cost us much more than a place in the PL and the club needs to win the fan base back and let them know that it’s sorry. 

Some decent football would help too.

 

 

 

[The Wyvern]

46 minutes ago, Guan 2.0 said:

Tonda, and his staff (and this is presuming there is no ban from the FA) must stay. Because the successful media firestorm has made us toxic, and we won't appoint anyone better. We would be reduced to the retired and the inept. 

Keep whoever is willing out of Peretz, Larin (harder, as they are loans), Scienza, THB, Bree and Jander. We have many excellent players, but I believe those would be the hardest to retain. 

If Parsons has taken the path of admitting to everything, advising Tonda and his staff to admit to everything, and overseeing a process where outgoing staff are not given NDA's, on top of not hiring a Legal team specialising in prevarication at the first whisper of anything amiss, and allowing Middlesborough comms to leak, dominate, and set the agenda, then he must step down.  

Additionally, offer one free ticket to a game next season to anyone who bought a playoff final ticket.  37000 sold, so the tickets would have to be spread over the first 3 or 4 games. 

Realistically speaking, that would be a good first day of Recovery. Onwards to the Top 8 next year! 

Agreed, good post.  And one tiny bit of luck for us, play-offs dropping down to 8th next season, I'm confident we'll be involved in those and even gives us a chance if we have a slow start after a summer of upheavel. 

[bangkoksaint]

I thought if we didnt go up (legitimetaely) this season we'd do a Stoke and just be a mid table Championship team for yeras to come. Now? We could do a Leicester and hanging on next season is a must. Those talking of players staying are in La La land, they're mercenary and wont give a monkeys about us. 

[StrangelyBrown]

Given that observing training is allegedly a widespread practice there needs to be a holistic investigation. The club need to push hard for this.

Someone then also needs to look at statistical anomalies like the crazy number of penalties Ipswich received this year.

My belief is that cheating is rife - the money at stake is far too tempting for it only to be us that have done something wrong. The difference is we're just shit at getting away with it.

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, maxi_sopez said:

If in a parallel universe we sacked Tonda and staff before Boro game and held our hands up, do you think punishment would have been as severe?

 

I feel one interesting about this entire thing is how we lost control of the narrative or never tried to own it. Boro and Gibson were giving the press everything, controlling the narrative. That is another black mark on Parsons, he has to be sacked.

We couldn’t control the narrative because we were guilty.  I think it’s unfair to lump this on Parsons.  It’s entirely on Eckert.

[egg]

9 minutes ago, Hopper said:

Don't see how Tonda stays, nor do I wan't him to. Thanks for the memories and all that but ultimately his actions directly lead to everything that's happened. The players will be absolutely furious with him.

The club need to do a full internal investigation and anyone with knowlege, be it Parsons, Spoors et al. need to go.

It's not going to be easy but we need to completely rebuild to move on.

No doubt many players will want out, if we receive good offers we should take them, recoup funds and re-invest.

To think we can move forward otherwise is completely unrealistic. 

Agreed. The owners need to build us back reputationally, and that doesn't happen by retaining the very people who caused this mess. I suspect that'll be too late for many of our existing sponsors, but we won't attract new ones of any note if we're seen as a club which doesn't properly address what's happened. 

From a footballing perspective, part of me would love Tonda to stay, but I suspect he'll have lost the dressing room anyway, but the bigger picture is that the club needs to rebuild from this and don't do that by keeping hold of the people who were responsible for breaking things. 

[Stud mark of doom]

Just one thought - do we really know Tonda instigated this practice? 
 

This slight doubt is how angry he got at the Boro manager and his comment that there was plenty he wanted to say but couldn’t. 
 

Would put a totally different spin on it if the practice was established at the club prior to his arrival and “all” he did was fail to say “we must stop doing this” when he came in as a very inexperienced manager. 
 

We may never know for sure - as saints would obviously not want to suggest the practice is long standing. 

[egg]

19 minutes ago, Thripp87 said:

Alex Crook really is a prick, claiming the players will be branded cheats now. You can’t even use that word in the same sentence for them after this shit show.

Tells you all you need to know when an ex Pompey player is saying it’s ridiculous (o hara) and I see Merson has too.

That's bang out of order. Mark Dennis did a cracking little video on his Instagram yesterday addressing that point.