The Spygate Saga

[Saint86]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

Did Parsons actually say this at the fans forum? I'm not disputing it because I wasn't there but I've just watched it back and didn't hear this comment. Maybe it was edited out at the time or has been since but the version I've just watched on line didn't contain this comment from Parsons.

I paraphrased what he said / eluded to, but yes. I don't have the time to watch it back. But it was along the lines of:

• initial discussions with the efl indicating that it wasn't that serious and that we expulsion wasn't on the table,
• that we agreed to the accelerated timescale but it was very chaotic / everyone was travelling, so we got it wrong.
• Middlesbrough used the situation to get a pass to the play off final. Who can blame them, we'd have probably done similar in their shoes (which was a further shocking thing for him to have said).

If it has actually been cut from the recording, i would say that is very telling.

Edited 5 minutes ago by Saint86

[CSA96]

Simon Jordan continues to talk sense on Spygate on today's talkSPORT slot

 

[MB]

Parsons needs to go asap. Clearly no contingency plan in place if they ban Tonda. His interview was clutching at straws at best. 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

Well, the evidence for the supposition that matters is all behind closed doors unfortunately - but i'd suggest the above is just about the only way the timescales involved make sense (or at least the only version i have seen that is remotely credible), and they also marry up with what Parson's said at the fans forum more recently (even if that was incredibly unprofessional from him and poorly advised given the ongoing proceedings). 

Whistleblower:
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jason-taylor/stationen/trainer/126892/plus/1

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/25807772.eckert-explains-plan-solve-southamptons-set-piece-problems/
 

I think it is also likely that Taylor was still in WhatsApp groups with other Saints analysts 

[Football Special]

58 minutes ago, saintant said:

I agree to a large extent but think it is still worth highlighting that Boro were not whiter than white in this whole affair yet nobody ever questioned them and, as far as I know, they were never asked to account for some of the valid points raised by many Saints fans. I get that they weren't accused of anything but it's hard to work out how they moved so quickly without some form of inside knowledge.

I believe Boro's whole approach was managed expertly by a PR expert, the media coverage was controlled by them from the start, certain journalists clearly briefed , the glaring hypocritical articles by Henry Winter leave you in no doubt he had received some form of payment. 

Crying Kim's propaganda press conference another PR masterstroke rubber stamping the victim narrative 

Then we had the Boro connections popping up within EFL and Sports Relations. 

A plot 1960s Soviets would be proud of. 

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Simon Jordan continues to talk sense on Spygate on today's talkSPORT slot

 

A voice of common sense amid a wilderness of over reaction and vindictiveness. 

[Saint86]

7 minutes ago, Football Special said:

I think it is also likely that Taylor was still in WhatsApp groups with other Saints analysts 

Potentially, but if that was the case - why was there no further evidence of other spying offences - i.e., either he wasn't kept in those groups, or we didn't spy outside of the reported offences. It highlights actually the issue with personal whats-app messages and business use - as its likely that he retained historic messages as a minimum.

 

10 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Simon Jordan continues to talk sense on Spygate on today's talkSPORT slot

 

5min 10sec on wards - Jordan eluding directly to Parson's behavior making the whole thing significantly worse 

Edited 1 hour ago by Saint86

[Saint Pete]

14 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Simon Jordan continues to talk sense on Spygate on today's talkSPORT slot

 

He talks with a lot of common sense and knowledge. Do you think he fancies a job back in football as a CEO of a Championship club? I would certainly have felt a lot more confident about our response to what's happened if someone like him was driving it and putting our case. 

[saintant]

19 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Potentially, but if that was the case - why was there no further evidence of other spying offences.

 

5min 10 onwards - Jordan eluding directly to Parson's behavior making the whole thing significantly worse 

Maybe there weren't any other offences. If there were and he had evidence I'm sure they would have been included on the original charge sheet.

[bangkoksaint]

We will have sounded out and have possible replacements ready to go. If we don’t then it’s a gross dereliction of duty on behalf of the Southampton SMT. That said with how Parsons has handled this, maybe we haven’t 

[Dark Munster]

51 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Its also utterly irrelevant and trying to portray Saints as the victims.

Whatever one thinks of the severity of the punishment, its a simple fact that we broke some explicit rules and owned up to doing so on 3 occasions, including for an upcoming match.  Trying to claim we're the ones who got stitched up is laughable.

We’re victims of excessive punishment for a minor infraction. 

[Saint Pete]

8 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

We’re victims of excessive punishment for a minor infraction. 

Yes, and that's what we should be focusing on in our media strategy and Tonda's defence, not blaming other clubs or whining about our legal costs etc. 

[Miltonaggro]

40 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

He talks with a lot of common sense and knowledge. Do you think he fancies a job back in football as a CEO of a Championship club? I would certainly have felt a lot more confident about our response to what's happened if someone like him was driving it and putting our case. 

One thing for certain, he would have had the immediate measure of that cunt Gibson.

[benjii]

One thing that was odd was that the EFL panel decision contained precisely zero reasoning about whether it was appropriate to reinstate Middlesbrough, as I recall.

[benjii]

Also, a further thought on the ability to fight the outcome.

- The EFL decision was rushed. There was a play off final due in days. If we were to have applied for an emergency injunction to prevent the final from happening, we would have been on the hook for large costs if the injunction was subsequently shown to have been wrong. That's how the legal system works. You can potentially get urgent relief but you have to give an undertaking to cover costs. Lots of interested parties could have brought claims.

 

- The FA decision is different. There are no other parties impacted apart from Tonda and SFC and there is no pressing timeline or critical event to manage. So, if it is excessive then the prospect of fighting it and dragging it out as long as possible is much less risky.

[Saint Pete]

6 minutes ago, benjii said:

One thing that was odd was that the EFL panel decision contained precisely zero reasoning about whether it was appropriate to reinstate Middlesbrough, as I recall.

I wa surprised there wasn't more made of that in the press after we were expelled, especially from the Wrexham point of view as the 7th placed team. It was as if the EFL did not even acknowledge any other possibility than Middlesbrough taking our place in the final. Of course the EFL didn't want to delay the final, but I think Wrexham could have argued strongly that they should have at least considered the possible alternative of promoting them into the play-offs to take our place in some way. 

[Teamsaint1]

3 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

I wa surprised there wasn't more made of that in the press after we were expelled, especially from the Wrexham point of view as the 7th placed team. It was as if the EFL did not even acknowledge any other possibility than Middlesbrough taking our place in the final. Of course the EFL didn't want to delay the final, but I think Wrexham could have argued strongly that they should have at least considered the possible alternative of promoting them into the play-offs to take our place in some way. 

They would effectively have had to given us a 10 point deduction for it to affect Wrexham positively  , though I agree it was odd they way the decision to reinstate boro went through apparently on the nod.And the actual games for which we were charged yielded us 1 point plus a mitigated 6 point penalty. 

[Saint86]

33 minutes ago, benjii said:

One thing that was odd was that the EFL panel decision contained precisely zero reasoning about whether it was appropriate to reinstate Middlesbrough, as I recall.

Because it absolutely wasn't appropriate and they were probably secretly delighted hull won 😅🤣