The Spygate Saga - 6 Week ban suspended for Eckert

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 hours ago, benjii said:

https://bearsyinvestigates.blogspot.com/2013/11/scouting-report-arsenal.html?m=1

 

He did.

To lighten the mood - thanks for the link @benjii



We need a Boro poem from Bearsy ...or any other resident poets?

[egg]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

So not necessarily over then

They may think it's lenient (many of us probably do), but they'd have to argue it was unduly lenient. They have form for successful appeals though. I'd imagine this'll be it. 

[Turkish]

32 minutes ago, Scully said:

Big result, well played by the Saints lawyers to get this with most of the EFL clubs baying for blood

They weren’t though were they. Aside from a few attention seeking loudmouths and Boro fans the vast majority of people think it’s ridiculous 

[bpsaint]

13 minutes ago, lumuah said:

Can Middlesborough appeal it?

No, the case was between The FA and Tonda. All Boro can do now is cry about it like their inbred fans.

On a separate note, the first chorus of “we’ve got Eckert” on Sunday is going to be quite the moment.

Edited 2 hours ago by bpsaint

[whelk]

7 minutes ago, lumuah said:

Can Middlesborough appeal it?

They are still posting over there. Surely must be joyriding and thieving time now 

[saintant]

7 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

Thank goodness it's finally done and surprisingly a pretty sensible outcome from the FA, albeit has taken them a ludicrous amount of time to get there. Vindication also for the Dragan's decision to stick with Tonda, we have had a reasonable if not prefect start to the season given the distractions and now we can look forward again. 

Time to move on now, ensure that lessons have been learned and focus on what really matters starting at the weekend and then on to improving our poor away record. 

It was actually the independent panel that came up with the decision we are all chuffed with. The FA actually wanted to go much harder on Tonda. They have the right to appeal the panel's decision but I don't think they will want to extend this any longer and will just draw a line under it even though they may not be happy at the outcome.

[Thereisonlyonemickychannon]

41 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

The only blow is that the cheating twat still has a job and seems to have got off lighter than anyone else. 

I honestly can't understand how the fans can think that it's acceptable that he's still at the club. He let us all down massively and yet people think he's some kind of hero. 

Get over it you dick.

THERE IS ONLY ONE TONDA ECKHERT

[tdmickey3]

49 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

Piss take. 

The club got kicked out of the playoffs and a four point deduction because of his actions. The fans missed out on a day at Wembley and possible promotion because of this cheating twat, and all he gets is a £28k fine (the equivalent of asking most of us to pay £28) and a suspended sentence. 

The game is fucked. 

I can only deduce from you post that you are a miserable cunt

[hypochondriac]

Can we keep a track of which journalists are scumbags. I love how they all have an opinion on this verdict which praises our manager and admits he made a mistake but silence around the opposing verdict which ruled he was untrustworthy despite this investigation being much more thorough and over a longer period.

 

[hypochondriac]

34 minutes ago, egg said:

I was told by someone I trusted that the club feared up to 2 years. Where that came from is anyone's guess given that the decision refers to a starting point of weeks. I don't doubt there have been idiots just making nonsense up, but duff info has been out there.

Let's be honest you were told a load.of old bollocks from someone probably making an educated guess. We've all been there and I've had that done to me in the past too. 

[MarkSFC]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Can we keep a track of which journalists are scumbags. I love how they all have an opinion on this verdict which praises our manager and admits he made a mistake but silence around the opposing verdict which ruled he was untrustworthy despite this investigation being much more thorough and over a longer period.

 

Sadly, being negative or controversial or the like generates far more engagement on socials and websites than the opposite, so they are incentivised to take a viewpoint of that ilk.  ***** the lot of them.  

[macca155]

Having had chance to read the details, the FA were clearly after Saints the same as the EFL. Their opening bid of a 9 month ban from all football, would have derailed our season, and cost Tonda his job.

All credit to Tonda for persuading the panel to be more lenient.

The club needs to wind it's neck in though. The FA can still appeal, and slagging off the EFL won't help. 

A bit of silent dignity wouldn't go amiss. We've had a right result, let's move on quickly. Got a game on Sunday.

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Can we keep a track of which journalists are scumbags. I love how they all have an opinion on this verdict which praises our manager and admits he made a mistake but silence around the opposing verdict which ruled he was untrustworthy despite this investigation being much more thorough and over a longer period.

 

This guy, whoever he is, just made a complete tit of himself. Speaks as though he knew exactly what transpired and what was said by who when clearly he is just making shit up.

[23rdSaint]

Just now, saintant said:

This guy, whoever he is, just made a complete tit of himself. Speaks as though he knew exactly what transpired and what was said by who when clearly he is just making shit up.

Martin Lipton. The Sun's Chief Sport Reporter

[maysie]

7 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Can we keep a track of which journalists are scumbags. I love how they all have an opinion on this verdict which praises our manager and admits he made a mistake but silence around the opposing verdict which ruled he was untrustworthy despite this investigation being much more thorough and over a longer period.

 

What a cunt.

[qwertyell]

36 minutes ago, Stud mark of doom said:

So to summarise the FA statement 

They were satisfied Tonda didn’t know about the rule and accepted this sort of thing was normal practice elsewhere, and noted that the 72 hour rule implied it was also acceptable earlier in EFL.
 

Basically it seems that all Tonda did was -

a) ask someone to check if Oxford were likely to play with a back 4 or a back 5, in a prep meeting 

B) not request anything for Ipswich, but be shown some recordings he should not have been 

c) ask that someone check if Hacket was fit 

And that warrants being thrown out of the play offs and 4 points! 

There was no suggestion in the Panel's findings that the EFL sanctions were disproportionate, and that the three things that were "all" Tonda did weren't in contravention of FA Rule E3.1.

Neither the club nor Tonda have been exonerated in any way, shape or form. 

They just found Eckert's in-person evidence and genuine contrition to be mitigating factors when cutting down their original sanction of a 4 month ban from all footballing activities to a 6 week ban (suspended until the end of next season).

Edited 2 hours ago by qwertyell

[whelk]

1 minute ago, saintant said:

he is just making shit up

He writes for The Sun so yeah will be in his contract 

[saintant]

Just now, 23rdSaint said:

Martin Lipton. The Sun's Chief Sport Reporter

They must have some very poor sports reporter if he is the best they could come up with as Chief. He should stick to manufacturing tea or maybe just making it.

[SW5 SAINT]

34 minutes ago, 31cc said:

Has anyone checked on Henry Winter? Poor guy must be devastated.

How about James Corden, perhaps some one should check he’s ok….

[whelk]

Just now, SW5 SAINT said:

How about James Corden, perhaps some one should check he’s ok….

I think he has fallen off his toilet and can’t get back up, what with being such a fat cunt

[saintant]

Just now, SW5 SAINT said:

How about James Corden, perhaps some one should check he’s ok….

Don't forget Troy Deeney. We know he has form when he gets angry.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

30 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Just checking. Can the FA appeal the verdict?

Yes they can

[Zorba]

5 minutes ago, 23rdSaint said:

Martin Lipton. The Sun's Chief Sport Reporter

Wanker

[Miltonaggro]

14 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Can we keep a track of which journalists are scumbags. I love how they all have an opinion on this verdict which praises our manager and admits he made a mistake but silence around the opposing verdict which ruled he was untrustworthy despite this investigation being much more thorough and over a longer period.

 

What would be very, very lucky, is if that soppy nasal cunt managed to get a leg over. Maybe Gibbo or one of the Boro Playboy Bunnies can oblige...

[Miltonaggro]

8 minutes ago, SW5 SAINT said:

How about James Corden, perhaps some one should check he’s ok….

James is fine:

[Draino76]

That journo is eminating paedo vibes anyway. 

[SW5 SAINT]

18 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Can we keep a track of which journalists are scumbags. I love how they all have an opinion on this verdict which praises our manager and admits he made a mistake but silence around the opposing verdict which ruled he was untrustworthy despite this investigation being much more thorough and over a longer period.

 

Perhaps Southampton now joins Liverpool in not buying the Sun newspaper…..

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

26 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Lol just admit you were clueless as the rest of us Egg and you were talking bullshit (even if your defence is you were rehashing other people's bullshit) 

In defence of Egg, although I hold a polar opposite view and think Tonda's scouting missions were just a minor infringement of a pathetic rule, I have always read his comments throughout this thread because he's given it legal dimensions that have been interesting and insightful.

Just pleased your source was talking bollocks, Egg.

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I don’t like to brag about being ‘ITK’, however, I can tell you that we will hear in a few hours (ago). 
 

It’ll be a small fine (second hand family car levels) and a suspended touchline ban. 
 

Love and light. 
 

MB
 

 

[adrian lord]

Brilliant. A very fair and proportionate sentencing.

[LiberalCommunist]

The FA's punishment was the wait to find out. 

[Morse]

18 minutes ago, 23rdSaint said:

Martin Lipton. The Sun's Chief Sport Reporter

It's not as if he works for a paper with proven industrial level illegal activity including taping the phone of a mother desperate for information of her missing child. Blokes a cunt. 

[Cuddles]

One for @Turkish

He said, "Let's get out of this town
Drive out of the city, away from the crowds"
I thought Heaven can't help me now
Nothing lasts forever
But this is gonna take me down

 

He's so tall and handsome as hell
He's so bad, but he does it so well
I can see the end as it begins
My one condition is

 

Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah-ah, ha
Wildest dreams, ah-ah, ha

 

I said, "No one has to know what we do"
His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room
And his voice is a familiar sound
Nothing lasts forever
But this is getting good now

[Saint_clark]

2 hours ago, Saint86 said:

https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/eckert’s-day-of-reckoning.85933/page-14

"Precedent has been set. Every club in the championship may as well have a go now"

Forgotten that we got booted out of the playoff final already then. 

[bangkoksaint]

31 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Let's be honest you were told a load.of old bollocks from someone probably making an educated guess. We've all been there and I've had that done to me in the past too. 

Not necessarily. One of the oldest tricks in the book for the legal profession. Tell the defendant they are looking at a steep sentence, they go out and make their arguments and when they get a lower sentence Counsel looks world class. If the worst happens then they just say ‘told you so’. Seen it many a time 

[Midfield_General]

Fantastic news.

But what a colossal waste of everyone’s time and energy.

[Stud mark of doom]

26 minutes ago, qwertyell said:

There was no suggestion in the Panel's findings that the EFL sanctions were disproportionate, and that the three things that were "all" Tonda did weren't in contravention of FA Rule E3.1.

Neither the club nor Tonda have been exonerated in any way, shape or form. 

They just found Eckert's in-person evidence and genuine contrition to be mitigating factors when cutting down their original sanction of a 4 month ban from all footballing activities to a 6 week ban (suspended until the end of next season).

Yes, but my points were also all made in the full statement, and seemed worth flagging. You’ve just summarised the summing up. 

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, bangkoksaint said:

Not necessarily. One of the oldest tricks in the book for the legal profession. Tell the defendant they are looking at a steep sentence, they go out and make their arguments and when they get a lower sentence Counsel looks world class. If the worst happens then they just say ‘told you so’. Seen it many a time 

Well OK maybe but he's still been told a load of old bollocks.

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, Cuddles said:

One for @Turkish

He said, "Let's get out of this town
Drive out of the city, away from the crowds"
I thought Heaven can't help me now
Nothing lasts forever
But this is gonna take me down

 

He's so tall and handsome as hell
He's so bad, but he does it so well
I can see the end as it begins
My one condition is

 

Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah-ah, ha
Wildest dreams, ah-ah, ha

 

I said, "No one has to know what we do"
His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room
And his voice is a familiar sound
Nothing lasts forever
But this is getting good now

I was just thinking more this

 

'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Heart-breakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
 

[Graffito]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Well OK maybe but he's still been told a load of old bollocks.

And posted it on here. 

[23rdSaint]

Alfie House from 18:07: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0032hb3

Edited 2 hours ago by 23rdSaint

[EssEffCee]

The Boro forum is hilarious. Earlier today it was all 'not really that bothered now' but the posts since the decision have contradicted that somewhat 🤣

Amazing news. Class to get a nice surprise for once.

[Cuddles]

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I was just thinking more this

 

'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Heart-breakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
 

 

[Turkish]

On 02/10/2026 at 15:44, Turkish said:

here's a clue

And maybe we got lost in translation
Maybe I asked for too much
But maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up
Running scared, I was there
I remember it all too well

And you call me up again just to break me like a promise
So casually cruel in the name of being honest
I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here
'Cause I remember it all, all, all
Too well

I told you it would finish

”All too Well”

another slam dunk 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Cuddles said:

 

Imagine if the entire stadium sung that Sunday and made shaking gestures to the Poopey fans that’s would be AMAZING

[sfc4prem]

3 hours ago, skintsaint said:

This whole fucking debacle is a farce, and it is ridiculous to the point of inconceivability that it cost us a place in the playoff final.

[sfc4prem]

3 hours ago, scumbag said:

Hope Henry calls out the fine and suspended sentence as going too far. The FA should also donate the money to the Woodland Trust presumably.

 

Boro should be given a CCJ order to plant more trees.

[Saints4Prem]

11 minutes ago, 23rdSaint said:

Alfie House from 18:07: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0032hb3

Thanks for that Alfie came across a lot better than Mr Blackmore on Five Live. If you go to the BBC sounds it is actually 02:08:00 on the counter

[Willo of Whiteley]

Tonda actually got a good right up in his interview with the panel.

He‘S been painted in a better light for how he has acted since. Fair play to him, and to the panel for seeing this.

As for the journos that want to continue their witch hunt, let them, they’ll die out eventually.

[LegalEagle]

1 hour ago, maysie said:

What a cunt.

He works for the Sun. Enough said. Half a brain. Don’t give him any more air time.