Spygate 2026

[SW5 SAINT]

23 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

 

Not sure I understand the logic. The FA wanted a longer punishment for Tonda. They were reigned in on that by their independent commission. Why would the commission act different if we were in the Premier League?

Because this so called “cheating’ is not even an offence in the Premier League…!

[Secret Site Agent]

I missed out on the games on here.

 

I reckon the investigation will be complete and the announcement as to Tonde's sanction will be on Wednesday 14th October

He'll get a three week touchline ban and a £32k fine

Sorry, other people on here were making stuff up on here, I thought it was a game!!!

 

[Lighthouse]

19 minutes ago, SW5 SAINT said:

Because this so called “cheating’ is not even an offence in the Premier League…!

It didn’t take place in the Premier League.

[Secret Site Agent]

18 minutes ago, SW5 SAINT said:

Because this so called “cheating’ is not even an offence in the Premier League…!

And because what Tonde and the club did wasn't spying on three other clubs training. That isn't a crime.

It was Spying on three other clubs training within a 72 hour window before we played them.

If Will Salt, (gorblesshim) had arrived a day early, we wouldn't be in this mess.

[Toadhall Saint]

Are we still doing this to death? Chaps it’s done and dusted - move on.

Edited 12 hours ago by Toadhall Saint
Fucking auto correct

[The Kraken]

8 minutes ago, Secret Site Agent said:

And because what Tonde and the club did wasn't spying on three other clubs training. That isn't a crime.

It was Spying on three other clubs training within a 72 hour window before we played them.

If Will Salt, (gorblesshim) had arrived a day early, we wouldn't be in this mess.

I think it still would be. The EFL 72 hour rule was brought in specifically, but the original rule is still considered to cover good faith behaviour. True, it’s not explicit in the wording (or what a potential punishment might be), but I don’t think it’s reasonable to say that any observing/spying outside of the 72 hour window is automatically permissible.
 

Because it doesn’t breach the 72 hour rule you’d perhaps expect punishment to be less.  Either way, I don’t think many teams are going to risk it in future.

Edited 11 hours ago by The Kraken

[trousers]

10 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Are we still doing this to death? Chaps it’s done and dusted - move on.

If only people would stop asking people to stop then the thread might die off....

Edited 11 hours ago by trousers

[trousers]

Curiousity question...

Is there any reason why the "expulsion was obviously the only sporting sanction available to the EFL" brigade weren't out in force on this thread saying as such BEFORE the EFL's panel announced their decision?

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

Edited 11 hours ago by trousers

[hypochondriac]

7 minutes ago, trousers said:

Curiousity question...

Is there any reason why the "expulsion was obviously the only sporting sanction available to the EFL" brigade weren't out in force on this thread saying as such BEFORE the EFL's panel announced their decision?

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

I didn't think they would go that far but I don't think I'd properly thought through the consequences of not kicking us out and potentially having us get promoted. I can see why that would be the least desirable option for them. From their perspective it would have been a hell of a lot better if Boro had taken a few of their million chances in the first leg.

[The Kraken]

14 minutes ago, trousers said:

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

I would suggest that the ambivalence on here was not indicative of opinion on other media. Yes, the Boro media machine was in full flow, but reading some other forums there was, in my experience, more of an expectation for a serious rebuke.

 

Edited 11 hours ago by The Kraken

[Willo of Whiteley]

14 minutes ago, trousers said:

Curiousity question...

Is there any reason why the "expulsion was obviously the only sporting sanction available to the EFL" brigade weren't out in force on this thread saying as such BEFORE the EFL's panel announced their decision?

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

Any right-minded person would see that we got battered in the first leg and deserved to win the second leg.
Why we got kicked out of the play offs after fairly winning was both stupid and rushed, and the EFL bowed to media pressure - more so evident now the reports have come out.

A wet wipe of an organisation.

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

Curiousity question...

Is there any reason why the "expulsion was obviously the only sporting sanction available to the EFL" brigade weren't out in force on this thread saying as such BEFORE the EFL's panel announced their decision?

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

I remember thinking expulsion seemed a bit much (mainly because it seemed so unprecedented) and being certain Eckert would be sacked. Listening to the arguments from much more objective and qualified people and reading the rationales behind the decisions are what informed me. 

[Jimmy_D]

If Pompey had done it, I'd probably be joking that they must have been there to watch good football and not thought twice about it.

I was expecting a fine, some sort of football related ban for the bloke that did it, and maybe some sort of touchline ban for Eckert if they were feeling draconian.

Boro managing to convince the EFL panel to infer a supposed endemic culture and intent, that it turns out they didn't have evidence for, then compromise the integrity of their own competition by installing an eliminated team in the final, that wasn't on the bingo card at the time for me.

[Tom & Gerry]

The panel said it was "entirely satisfied that Eckert did not know that his actions breached EFL regulations or were considered morally wrong"

Those on here who ridiculed those of us that suggested that was the case probably haven't changed their minds but at least we are in good company. 

 

 

[Sheaf Saint]

3 hours ago, trousers said:

Curiousity question...

Is there any reason why the "expulsion was obviously the only sporting sanction available to the EFL" brigade weren't out in force on this thread saying as such BEFORE the EFL's panel announced their decision?

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

Because none of us were in possession of all the facts until after the EFL ruling. Once you read through their findings and the evidence submitted, and how the club had initially lied about it and tried to laugh it off, the inevitability of the expulsion became obvious. At least to me it did.

[OneMrsWallace]

I guess I was so laser focused on our punishments that I've missed the fact several clubs in League One are all on minus points. What's that about? 

[rallyboy]

The precedent was the timing - the EFL still let a game go ahead after the crime, thus sanctioning it as a fair match.

Anyway, fuck em, and Boro, it's all yesterday's chip wrapper, City is now the go-to cause for faux-hysterical pundits trying to get clicks.

The End

[benjii]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Because none of us were in possession of all the facts until after the EFL ruling. Once you read through their findings and the evidence submitted, and how the club had initially lied about it and tried to laugh it off, the inevitability of the expulsion became obvious. At least to me it did.

I don't think the club intentionally "lied", I think they panicked and gave wrong information when up against a ridiculous time frame and whilst trying to prepare for a key match. 

[hypochondriac]

I'd have probably been happier with just letting hull get promoted automatically. I'm still pleased that Boro lost the final. It made the whole thing feel a lot better.

[Verbal]

5 hours ago, trousers said:

Curiousity question...

Is there any reason why the "expulsion was obviously the only sporting sanction available to the EFL" brigade weren't out in force on this thread saying as such BEFORE the EFL's panel announced their decision?

Unless my memory's deceiving me, hardly anyone on here was predicting an expulsion outcome in the lead up to the EFL verdict, were they...? Which is bizarre, given how "obvious" an outcome it's now being portrayed as...

As that well-known equation goes: Delusion + Hope/Gloom = Sainstweb/Wrong

[Willo of Whiteley]

The tide has turned now on Spy gate, a lot of pundits coming out saying it was ridiculous.

Only those that were staunchly against us from the start (Henry Winter, northern journos) are the ones persisting with this shit. 🤣

[LiberalCommunist]

Lest we forget their names. They must forever live in ridicule. Except for Troy Deeney. He's still under house arrest. 

[Saint Neil]

4 hours ago, OneMrsWallace said:

I guess I was so laser focused on our punishments that I've missed the fact several clubs in League One are all on minus points. What's that about? 

Sure you aren't looking at the goal difference?

[Tamesaint]

I enjoyed the football we played last season after Still was sacked and Tonda took over. The only problem was if we went up we would have had to play in the PL with all the bollocks that goes with that league.

Somehow we managed to find a way to get another season in the Championship. I have already been richly entertained by some of the football that we have played. Long may it continue. Much better than struggling to stay afloat in the PL.

 

[Turkish]

9 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Any right-minded person would see that we got battered in the first leg and deserved to win the second leg.
Why we got kicked out of the play offs after fairly winning was both stupid and rushed, and the EFL bowed to media pressure - more so evident now the reports have come out.

A wet wipe of an organisation.

Got battered in the first half, from then on we were the better team for the other 2/3s of the tie, arguably by a distance. 

[Toadhall Saint]

7 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Got battered in the first half, from then on we were the better team for the other 2/3s of the tie, arguably by a distance. 

Yep we were “lucky” in the first half of the first game - from there on in they were “lucky” that they didn’t concede more. From memory they burnt themselves out on indignation (and accusations of espionage).

Edited 2 hours ago by Toadhall Saint