The Spygate Saga

[Patrick Bateman]

23 minutes ago, Badger said:

Why not just show support for Tonda (if he’s still here)? And the team of course. 

I did do a winky thing ...  

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

Whatever the word used, City aren't prejudiced by the outcome being out there. The appeal tribunal will decide it on its merits. I suspect you've listened to a media hungry lawyer. 

From my very poor recollection I think he suggested that both sides had signed NDAs and then the news that City had been found guilty was announced prematurely on, I think, The Athletic thus breaking the NDA. Again I'm not suggesting this makes any difference because clearly I wouldn't know so was just passing on something I'd heard and, to your point, he probably is one of many media hungry lawyers 🙂

[Willo of Whiteley]

The Rob Edwards “link” is funny.

Whilst he wouldn’t be my first choice he equally isn’t the worst, but there are many questions that come before this:
When Tonda is banned (because let’s face it he will be, are we still throwing our weight behind him and effectively offering a temp job to another manager?

If that is the case, what if that manager is successful? 

What does Tonda’s position look like after that?

On a complete side note it’ll be funny to see how Sports Republic spin this after all the Tonda backing over the summer. 👀🤣

Could be a few popcorn moments coming…

[egg]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

From my very poor recollection I think he suggested that both sides had signed NDAs and then the news that City had been found guilty was announced prematurely on, I think, The Athletic thus breaking the NDA. Again I'm not suggesting this makes any difference because clearly I wouldn't know so was just passing on something I'd heard and, to your point, he probably is one of many media hungry lawyers 🙂

Gotcha, thanks that. Breaching an NDA isn't clever, but it's hard to see how that undermines the decision itself. Let's see where this goes. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

My money is on Tonda hearing his punishment first and it will be not too harsh - that way the FA/EPL will be in a better position to hand City a softer than deserved punishment. And let’s face it whatever they get, it’ll be old news 3 days later.

[disconnect]

4 hours ago, westmidlandsaint said:

Could the FA charge people at Man City boardroom level of were involved? SFC sanctioned by EFL but Tonda by FA. Surely City by the PL but Officials should also be charged like Tonda for "not acting in good faith" surely again that is a hell of a lot worse than Tonda. Will that come into FA's thinking, if we ban Tonda for any long period they're going to have to look at life bans for City execs surey?

You'd think so, but somehow I think a big fine (which will be loose change to them) will be their punishment, whilst Saints will no doubt get the biggest possible punishment (if the points and being kicked out of the playoffs wasn't enough). 

On a side note, (and I know it's likely been covered to death), but why is it not the analyst teams / head of analysis (or whatever they are called) that gets the ban rather than Tonda? Is he taking the fall because he's the head of the tree as such or because he deliberately told them to go and do these things no matter what?

Is it because the head analyst (Eduard Schmidt) conveniently left at the end of the season and therefore banning him wouldn't punish Saints anymore? It's been going on so long I genuinely can't remember if he's actually the one that's told them to go and do it (within the 72 hours) or he's just taken responsibility (or we'll never know). 

[Roo1976]

Could we be further punished with more points being deducted? ...Tonda 5 match ban, and maybe another financial fine but being suspended for like 2 seasons?

[goodymatt]

15 minutes ago, Roo1976 said:

Could we be further punished with more points being deducted? ...Tonda 5 match ban, and maybe another financial fine but being suspended for like 2 seasons?

My understanding is the 3 charges are all against Tonda specifically, points deductions are not on the table.

[Disco Stu]

41 minutes ago, Roo1976 said:

Could we be further punished with more points being deducted? ...Tonda 5 match ban, and maybe another financial fine but being suspended for like 2 seasons?

That's not in the FA's remit.

[Hatch]

its going to announced the day before the Skate game isn't it

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

13 minutes ago, Hatch said:

its going to announced the day before the Skate game isn't it

Think how little time they'll have to prepare to whatever new tactics we implement because of a ban. It'd be a nightmare for them.

[Wade Garrett]

3 hours ago, saintant said:

I don't get our interest in Rob Edwards. He'd come in and impose 3 centre backs with wing backs. Great news for Capn Jack but the fans will not like it one little bit.

He doesn’t like Azaz either.  It would be a terrible appointment.

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

My money is on Tonda hearing his punishment first and it will be not too harsh - that way the FA/EPL will be in a better position to hand City a softer than deserved punishment. And let’s face it whatever they get, it’ll be old news 3 days later.

No chance are they going easy on City.  The football world are watching them.

[hypochondriac]

I don't consider it a good omen thar we haven't heard a peep from Tonda since last week.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

I don't consider it a good omen thar we haven't heard a peep from Tonda since last week.

What are you expecting from him during a prolonged international break?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

I don't consider it a good omen thar we haven't heard a peep from Tonda since last week.

Recovering from the plastic surgery after which we'll unveil him as our new manager, and not the one we had with the lifetime ban. 🙂

[hypochondriac]

23 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

What are you expecting from him during a prolonged international break?

Normally some fluff about some of the players. They have that with bits about jwp, Scienza and Quarshie but it was all done last week prior to the hearing. Pretty sure I remember some bits from Will Still last year during the break. I thought we'd have had at least one news item on the behind closed doors game last week and if Tonda played any part in it.

Edited 22 hours ago by hypochondriac

[Weston Super Saint]

3 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

My money is on Tonda hearing his punishment first and it will be not too harsh - that way the FA/EPL will be in a better position to hand City a softer than deserved punishment. And let’s face it whatever they get, it’ll be old news 3 days later.

Do you genuinely think that Tonda's outcome will have the tiniest bearing on the punishment dished out to City?  The cases are entirely different.  

[DellBlockH]

I keep returning in the hope of an update from MB. Anything?

[Paul Chuckle]

Football Martins sources suggested we'd hear Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyone know what's he's predicting now?

[Zorba]

12 minutes ago, DellBlockH said:

I keep returning in the hope of an update from MB. Anything?

Update possibly tomorrow

..or the day after.

[coalman]

Something something something. Stopped clock. Something something.

[Willo of Whiteley]

5 minutes ago, Paul Chuckle said:

Football Martins sources suggested we'd hear Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyone know what's he's predicting now?

Any day of the week with a “y” in it

[OneMrsWallace]

Making everyone wait this long is a typical tactic of people who do fuck all to earn their money but want to make you think they're incredibly busy. Like Rasmus. 

[sockeye]

my sources are telling me we will hear after 2 more weeks

[hypochondriac]

32 minutes ago, Paul Chuckle said:

Football Martins sources suggested we'd hear Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyone know what's he's predicting now?

TBF he wasn't saying for definite.

[hypochondriac]

34 minutes ago, OneMrsWallace said:

Making everyone wait this long is a typical tactic of people who do fuck all to earn their money but want to make you think they're incredibly busy. Like Rasmus. 

Absolutely no consideration for the innocent fans. No desire to get this resolved for their sake. They've literally had months. Taking this long can only be a conscious choice and it stinks.

Edited 20 hours ago by hypochondriac

[Ken Tone]

2 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

No chance are they going easy on City.  The football world are watching them.

So I want to know when are we going to hear about guardiola or other staff being charged by the FA for bringing the game into disrepute. The PL report did say quite clearly that some people from City had lied to the investigators.  And they certainly didn't help the enquiry by telling them everything openly like Saints did. 

Surely more at fault than Tonda?

[West end Saints]

I am still struggle with balancing the extreme predictions (here and press) with the FA's response to Bielsa.

B spied every game

TE charged with 3

However, TE comes after FA's warning after Bielsa.

The reporting at that time said 

the FA  confirm they would conclude the matter without pressing sporting charges. Instead, they issued a formal warning to Bielsa, Leeds United, and a club analyst.  
However, the FA made it explicitly clear what rules governed the offense. They cautioned that any similar behavior in the future could prompt formal disciplinary action under FA Rule E3(1). This specific regulation penalizes participants who act improperly or bring the game into disrepute.  
Because the EFL had already sanctioned Leeds heavily with the £200,000 fine and a severe reprimand, the FA deemed the formal warning sufficient at the time.  

 

We have been sanctioned a lot more heavily already by EFL so the FA argument for starting with no punishment is valid.

However the aggravating factors of not learning from Bielsa, the new rules , whether they find he bullied staff into it etc, and the public outcry etc will inevitably bring a punishment.

 

I think he will get a ban. 

 

My guess is something like 3 to 6 game stadium ban, (maybe if upper end or little longer some suspended) and a fine.

This will hit him and the club but is unlikely to be appealed, and also avoids him fighting any loss of employment case.

I do think the FA will see the irony of a really harsh punishment could end up being less of a punishment for TE and more saints again, with him moving abroad.

 

Edited 19 hours ago by West end Saints

[hypochondriac]

3 hours ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Think how little time they'll have to prepare to whatever new tactics we implement because of a ban. It'd be a nightmare for them.

If it's Adam in charge it should be quite predictable. We will play on the left and play on the right, make Messi look shite and everyone in the stands will do a ghey wave.

[WinglessWonder]

2 hours ago, Paul Chuckle said:

Football Martins sources suggested we'd hear Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyone know what's he's predicting now?

Did he say which Tues or Weds though? 

[LeBizzier69]

4 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Recovering from the plastic surgery after which we'll unveil him as our new manager, and not the one we had with the lifetime ban. 🙂

Welcome to the club, and first permanent female manager in the EFL, Rhonda Beckett. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

17 minutes ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Welcome to the club, and first permanent female manager in the EFL, Rhonda Beckett. 

"We needed a new manager quickly," said Dragan Solak. "I reached out and said 'help me, Rhonda' and here we are. God only knows what I'd be without her, and we have good vibrations for the rest of the season."

Edited 18 hours ago by Holmes_and_Watson

[Saint Fan CaM]

3 hours ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Do you genuinely think that Tonda's outcome will have the tiniest bearing on the punishment dished out to City?  The cases are entirely different.  

Not directly obviously. At the heart of each case is a charge of cheating / bringing the game into disrepute, so there is a connection. Whether one case is more serious than the other is irrelevant unless you are acutely aware of how the FA inner circle operates, but the cases are indirectly related and are being handled at the same time. The charges against City could result in huge sanctions and we are already hearing that City will appeal before even hearing their punishment, plus it’s not clear whether the FA have the balls to face up to City’s lawyers. If you think both cases have not been discussed by the same individuals at the FA I’d say evidence suggests you’re wrong.

[ecuk268]

41 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

"We needed a new manager quickly," said Dragan Solak. "I reached out and said 'help me, Rhonda' and here we are. God only knows what I'd be without her, and we have good vibrations for the rest of the season."

Wouldn't it be nice?

[Teamsaint1]

10 minutes ago, ecuk268 said:

Wouldn't it be nice?

I don’t think we’ll do it again.

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

"We needed a new manager quickly," said Dragan Solak. "I reached out and said 'help me, Rhonda' and here we are. God only knows what I'd be without her, and we have good vibrations for the rest of the season."

We've had enough of help me Rhonda on this forum thank you very much.

[mss636]

Wondering if MB was actually right and he was banned, which we have appealed. It would explain the delay and silence on the matter due to NDAs the FA have been using?  The Rob Edwards rumours being quite strong suggest we’ve been putting plan B together in case 

[CB Fry]

44 minutes ago, mss636 said:

Wondering if MB was actually right and he was banned, which we have appealed. It would explain the delay and silence on the matter due to NDAs the FA have been using?  The Rob Edwards rumours being quite strong suggest we’ve been putting plan B together in case 

Let's not start pretending that MB is the person that has introduced the concept that TE could be banned.

Pretty much every single person on this forum is expecting him to be banned and by extension expecting appeal to be part of it.

MB is proven full of shit and just "predicts" probable things in the hope they happen. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

All MB has done is post the blatantly obvious and likely scenario we’re all expecting, and has simply added “my sources” to his post.

Respectfully he’s about as in the know as Alex Crooks. 😂🤣

 

[Willo of Whiteley]

On a side note, if an outcome has been delivered and were appealing it behind the scenes I do admire how there are no leaks out the club like there was a few years ago.

[hypochondriac]

48 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

On a side note, if an outcome has been delivered and were appealing it behind the scenes I do admire how there are no leaks out the club like there was a few years ago.

I'm surprised that the likes of Alfie house aren't being a bit more investigative journalist about it. 

[trousers]

19 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I'm surprised that the likes of Alfie house aren't being a bit more investigative journalist about it. 

I'm not surprised in the slightest... Since when have "journalists" (these days) actually been investigative (especially local ones)? They're just reporters, saying what they see, rather than digging for underlying information....

P.s. the same annoying generation that ask: "Can I get...?" when buying something at a pub, cafe, restaurant, etc... 🤦🏻

Edited 6 hours ago by trousers

[Secret Site Agent]

14 hours ago, Paul Chuckle said:

Football Martins sources suggested we'd hear Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyone know what's he's predicting now?

Did he say which Tuesday or Wednesday?

A month would be fine at a push.

Or even a year?

[hypochondriac]

15 minutes ago, trousers said:

Im.not surprised in the slightest... Since when have "journalists" (these days) actually been investigative (especially local ones)? They're just reporters, saying what they see, rather than digging for underlying information....

P.s. the same annoying generation that ask: "Can I get...?" when buying something at a pub, cafe, restaurant, etc... 🤦🏻

Sure but from a practical point of view, getting some exclusive comments about the situation and getting it hidden behind their paywalls is going to do well for his paper. 

[Pamplemousse]

Maybe it is as simple as nobody knows anything and no decision has been made yet. Which is ridiculous but also a bit worrying.

[SW5 SAINT]

Just think if Tonda is still charge for Pompey and we lose, folk will be clamouring for his head……

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

I'm not surprised in the slightest... Since when have "journalists" (these days) actually been investigative (especially local ones)? They're just reporters, saying what they see, rather than digging for underlying information....

P.s. the same annoying generation that ask: "Can I get...?" when buying something at a pub, cafe, restaurant, etc... 🤦🏻

The type of guys that check their sleep score in the morning then decided if they are capable of making it through the day, right?

[RedArmy]

15 hours ago, Paul Chuckle said:

Football Martins sources suggested we'd hear Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyone know what's he's predicting now?

Must be the same source that told him we weren’t having red and white stripes. 

[gio1saints]

The Speed at which one confesses guilt is an interesting side-quest for this thread. 
 

Im not sure how many years it will be before we hear a “ yes we cheated “ from Man City and the rest of the EPL cheat-teams but it took Parsons - and therefore Saints - about 45 seconds when face to face with Gibson. And immediately when asked by relevant authorities. 
 

Many have said “ dumbass” or “ legal amateur hour” as Saints could have been having legal battles for years - like the rest of the cheats - all whilst in the Premier League collecting £Millions. Instead we are in the Championship, no millions, reviled.
 

My question is : Does It pay to fess up- and do you get it worse eventually if you don’t?
 

If the authorities give a massive ban to our Manager the argument that it “ pays” to fess up will have been shown as false. At least in this case. The football authorities, if they have any sense of long vision, might do well to consider going less harshly on Saints - to “ encourage the others”. There must be a financial limit to how many appeals and legal battles they can maintain if everybody plays it like Man City did/do….

Edited 5 hours ago by gio1saints