Saints Expelled from Playoffs

[James]

Having taken some time to reflect, the severity of the sanction imposed, given what happened to Leeds (I know, different times, no rule…) and what has happened and will inevitably happen to Chelsea and Man City, is difficult to fully comprehend.
 

I blame the Club and the coaching staff, it’s impossible not to, but most of my anger is at the fact that the EFL and the Independent Commission have chosen to throw the book at us, likely under the influence of Middlesbrough Football Club, given the interconnectivity between the senior personnel there and the top of the EFL, when the footballing authorities gone easier on other clubs for, in my view at least, more serious and more prolonged offences. There really is one rule for some, another for others.

We need a reset - if only to restore the damage that the social media pile on, again instigated by influenced journalists from the North East - and the Club need our backing more than ever.

We must ensure that this doesn’t destroy the short term future of this Club. I don’t envy those in decision making capacities this summer. 

Edited 54 minutes ago by James

[LordHester]

2 minutes ago, Thripp87 said:

The footballing world will soon move on from this shit storm.

 

I admire your optimism, but I think this can of worms has only just been opened. Off the top of my head, there could be:

• FA action against individuals at the club
• Player exodus
• The search for yet another new manager
• Sponsors pulling out
• Dragan deciding he's had enough and selling up

 

[Livewire]

I see that Hellberg sympathises with us Saints fans. Well, this Southampton supporter hopes they lose on Saturday. It is an utter travesty and farce that Middlesbrough are in the final and can get to the Premier having lost to us. I hope he loses every game he ever manages. Same for the club. What we did is what we did, and it was wrong. What Middlesbrough did is to milk it to their advantage after they did not deserve to do so on the pitch.

[Thripp87]

23 minutes ago, Pengi said:

Try this

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7295741/2026/05/21/spygate-southampton-middlesbrough-legal-questions/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.kFA.PPXn.WRV2rcOnCJL-

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out which EFL chief executive wants us to lose our parachute payments next season. Gibson has moaned about those for years! I wonder if he forgoes his when his side go down with 10 points next season.

[TheSoundman]

Just now, Thripp87 said:

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out which EFL chief executive wants us to lose our parachute payments next season. Gibson has moaned about those for years! I wonder if he forgoes his when his side go down with 10 points next season.

Wow, how many different punishments can they come up with?

Would every opponent like a 2 goal start next season? Or maybe 4 points for a win against us?

FFS

[Livewire]

4 hours ago, CylonKing said:

If not aware of the rule, why send someone in disguise?

He worked at Barnsley for 18 months. He would at least have had an idea from that time whether it was allowed or not. 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

9 minutes ago, Livewire said:

I see that Hellberg sympathises with us Saints fans. Well, this Southampton supporter hopes they lose on Saturday. It is an utter travesty and farce that Middlesbrough are in the final and can get to the Premier having lost to us. I hope he loses every game he ever manages. Same for the club. What we did is what we did, and it was wrong. What Middlesbrough did is to milk it to their advantage after they did not deserve to do so on the pitch.

Yep, he came across as a massive prick throughout. 

[Shufty Zubrik]

5 hours ago, Cabrone said:

A lot of ppl are gunning for Tonda but I'm going to take his words on face value that he genuinely didn't know about the 72 hour rule. Controversial I know but I do think he was very badly managed himself.

For me the real idiots are the board. They get paid the big bucks to make sure everyone complies with the rules and that everyone knows what the rules are. Gross incompetency from them and I'd be happy to see all of them fired today. Quit your endless word salad and self congratulations and actually run the club properly.

So personally I'd stick with Tonda (assuming he's not going to get banned by the FA over this). He'll be burning for some kind of redemption. We should tell him to swallow the shit that is going to come his way and that the minimum next season is top 2. I think he's good enough to get it. After all this business would have barely given us any advantage anyway and he did take us from relegation candidates to almost top 2. He owes us.

We can either come together or fall apart.

Agreed. 
 

[bpsaint]

3 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Yep, he came across as a massive prick throughout. 

Yeah him and his crocodile tears can fuck off. Hope he’s crying real ones Saturday.

[James G]

The Middlesbrough manager says there is more to come out about this when the report comes out which will add context to the decision that was made

[Window Cleaner]

2 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Yeah him and his crocodile tears can fuck off. Hope he’s crying real ones Saturday.

Boro will win on Saturday. Hull really aren't very good. I watched their game against Millwall who just didn't turn up for either leg.

With the VAR, I wouldn't be surprised if Boro don't get at least one penalty and Hull at least one red card.

[RedWillie]

1 hour ago, Mt.B-Real said:

I sincerely hope there are some resignations or sackings announced by the end of today.

Parsons, Spors, Tonda and anyone else who knew anything about this need to leave immediately.

I'm amazed we've not heard anything already.

Dragan is on his way apparently. I would expect to hear something along the lines of a clear out next week. 

[trousers]

29 minutes ago, Harold K Steptoe said:

Wouldn’t surprise me if there was a mole in our own coaching staff. They’re not all on big money and a little word to someone for a nice little earner. I’ve never trusted anybody in business so wouldn’t put it past someone.

Yeah, wouldn't surprise me either... 

By the way, do you still get snippets of new kit info? cheers 

[die Mannyschaft]

14 minutes ago, Livewire said:

He worked at Barnsley for 18 months. He would at least have had an idea from that time whether it was allowed or not. 

Looks like its not a problem in Germany but using a drone is? Tonda thinks Germany is still German Democratic Republic and Stasi are employed by clubs 

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/8040294/werder-bremen-police-drone-spying/

[Harold K Steptoe]

3 minutes ago, trousers said:

Yeah, wouldn't surprise me either... 

By the way, do you still get snippets of new kit info? cheers 

I can but don’t really see them much to ask and it’s always a disappointment when they showed me. About time we let the fans who do better mock ups design them.

[sotonjoe]

6 hours ago, Hopper said:

What's big Ange up to?

We are what we are mate. 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

7 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I think we've been a much bigger victim of Boro's and Gibons media machine. 

Proportionally what we did is probably not a great deal different to that of Leeds, but when you compare the media campain during Leeds and our events, they couldn't be more different. With Leeds, you had journos laughing about it and saying it would be harsh if Bielsa got a touch line ban. With us, sack everyone, ban the manager for 2 years, expel them from everything. I think we've been stitched up and thrown to the wolves, it's our fault because we were stupid, but all of this stinks and it goes deeper than we will probably ever know.

When Gibson is on his death bed, which is when most people tell the truth, and he is asked what has been his greatest achievement, he won't say building up his haulage business, he'll say getting Middlesbrough promoted in 2026.

I don't know who I'm more annoyed with. Yes Tonda was wrong, but the way we handled it once the news broke was incompetence of the highest order. We were like rabbits in the headlights of a car...frozen.

If I was Dragan, I would get the analysts and media team off their arses and start presenting our case. The BBC's coverage was biased. Look at the comments on the articles and check out where they've come from. I bet it was mass manipulation by Boro. Check out the EFL. What was a Boro member doing on the board? Check out the whistleblower. Who sent Will Salt to the north east? If this turns out to be one huge set up, we need to be adequately compensated.

And let's get away from this self flagellation. We broke a half-baked rule but in reality it probably made little difference to any of the games. 

 

[hippo]

27 minutes ago, Thripp87 said:

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out which EFL chief executive wants us to lose our parachute payments next season. Gibson has moaned about those for years! I wonder if he forgoes his when his side go down with 10 points next season.

He can fuck right off - spunked £50+mil in 2016/17 (how much would that be now?) of these parachute payments on shit players and managers, and that's why they've been shite for so long. Don't be bitter because you're no longer benefitting from the same mechanism, due to your poor decisions. 

 

 

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, hippo said:

He can fuck right off - spunked £50+mil in 2016/17 (how much would that be now?) of these parachute payments on shit players and managers, and that's why they've been shite for so long. Don't be bitter because you're no longer benefitting from the same mechanism, due to your poor decisions. 

 

 

To follow up, I truly believe none of this would've happened if we weren't a parachute payment club. No one would care if it was another team. 

[Ldnsaint]

6 hours ago, Cabrone said:

A lot of ppl are gunning for Tonda but I'm going to take his words on face value that he genuinely didn't know about the 72 hour rule. Controversial I know but I do think he was very badly managed himself.

For me the real idiots are the board. They get paid the big bucks to make sure everyone complies with the rules and that everyone knows what the rules are. Gross incompetency from them and I'd be happy to see all of them fired today. Quit your endless word salad and self congratulations and actually run the club properly.

So personally I'd stick with Tonda (assuming he's not going to get banned by the FA over this). He'll be burning for some kind of redemption. We should tell him to swallow the shit that is going to come his way and that the minimum next season is top 2. I think he's good enough to get it. After all this business would have barely given us any advantage anyway and he did take us from relegation candidates to almost top 2. He owes us.

We can either come together or fall apart.

You think Tonda (who is also a fan of Bielsa), did not only not know about the rule but nobody from within the club brought it up? 😂