The Spygate Saga

[skintsaint]

28 minutes ago, SW5 SAINT said:

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

[dsrdorset]

20 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

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….

Deny, deny, deny......

[steve green]

11 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

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….

 

Apart from anything else Saints don't have the resources to do a Man City, money is almost meaningless to them. They are quite capable of driving the PL or FA into a financial disaster.

 

I think also what we did was quite stupid, regardless of the appropriateness of the rules, we'd signed up to them. Most Saints fans recognise this with complaints mainly centred on emotive media reporting and (possibly, lets see) excessive punishment.

 

The mind blowing entitled attitude of Man City supporters have put all this into context. A great shame as I used to see them as the more reasonable bit of Manchester. They actively want the PL to fall over this rather than be punished, they completely miss the point that they signed up to these rules even if not agreeing with them.

 

I remain confident the impact of our punishment will harm Saints more than any levied at Man City. Politics will also play a part in this.

 

 

[Nordic Saint]

1 hour ago, dsrdorset said:

Deny, deny, deny......

We could have pointed out that England had to change their flight plans to Mexico because if they didn't get there in time to make their final training session open to the public, they'd have been breaking the FIFA rule, which is the exact opposite of the EFL rule. So, is having a secret training session cheating? Having rules in the game which totally contradict each other shows how arbitrary and ridiculous this case is.

In the World Cup and Champions League, teams making their final training sessions open to the public is the norm. Meanwhile, the EFL has gone off in completely the opposite direction from all other football authorities and leagues. Sport should be fair and open; nothing should be done secretively. The FA should rein them in.

FIFA is a much higher authority than the EFL so perhaps their rule should be considered more important by the FA. FIFA gave Bielsa their Fair Play Award at the end of his 'spygate' season.

City's owners would certainly have gone on the attack if a similar flimsy case had been brought against them. There's no way they'd have been apologising. But, it's also worth noting the united front that City's fans, ex-players, managers and the local media are presenting in stark contrast to how some of our fans and members of the local media, like Adam Blackmore, instantly turned against own own club and manager. If we'd been in City's position, they'd have already been delivering the trophies to Liverpool.

Edited 10 hours ago by Nordic Saint

[Kenilworthy1959]

I spoke to a couple of older City supporters a couple of days ago. They show no remorse at all. They say "that if City hadn't done it they wouldn't have seen them win all the trophies they enjoyed"

[MB]

7 hours ago, CB Fry said:

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. 

Broke the news we had interviewed GoN…. correct ✅

Said day one, literally when spygate broke, Tonda was behind everything… correct ✅

Said JWP was coming…. correct✅

Plenty more too….

in fact the only thing i have got wrong was Tonda getting fired, and that was only because Solak intervened and said we must keep him. 
 

Believe what you want I don’t give a shit. He’s banned and the club has lodged an appeal. Get over it 

[Nordic Saint]

3 minutes ago, Kenilworthy1959 said:

I spoke to a couple of older City supporters a couple of days ago. They show no remorse at all. They say "that if City hadn't done it they wouldn't have seen them win all the trophies they enjoyed"

If City had been in our position, they'd have been demanding punishment for Middlesbrough. I note that leaks to the media, damaging reporting and an impartial disciplinary panel are being mentioned in the Abu Dhabi state airline's threat of legal action against the Premier League. You can imagine what they'd have done to Middlesbrough and the EFL.

[Mr X]

12 minutes ago, Kenilworthy1959 said:

I spoke to a couple of older City supporters a couple of days ago. They show no remorse at all. They say "that if City hadn't done it they wouldn't have seen them win all the trophies they enjoyed"

You just know city are going to find a way of sweeping it under the carpet or delaying any legal action for many more years! 

[suewhistle]

According to my friend who lives on the hill across the water from St Marys the lights have been on until late recently, which always happens when something is up..

We're presuming they know the verdict and are preparing for it..

[Saint-Reece]

28 minutes ago, MB said:

Broke the news we had interviewed GoN…. correct ✅

Said day one, literally when spygate broke, Tonda was behind everything… correct ✅

Said JWP was coming…. correct✅

Plenty more too….

in fact the only thing i have got wrong was Tonda getting fired, and that was only because Solak intervened and said we must keep him. 
 

Believe what you want I don’t give a shit. He’s banned and the club has lodged an appeal. Get over it 

How long is the proposed ban for then? 

(Please split this into enforced and suspended as you previously alluded to).

This seems to be a key piece of info that is missing and would potentially prove you ITK as you protest to be, if the appeal fails, no? 
 

You said months back it wasn’t as bad as feared, before the Chelsea charges stopped it being announced ( lol ) - but you have never put a timeframe against it. 

[gio1saints]

2 hours ago, dsrdorset said:

Deny, deny, deny......

Just wonder what the punishment multiplier for denying everything and then after 4 years of legal cases being found guilty all along would be. 
If Tonda is given a massive ban ( for me that’s anything over 3months ) plus say a £2m fine it begs the question what would he / SFC get for denying everything, would he be banned for a year/ two years and a fine of £10m? Just an interesting angle on it ( for me anyway!) 

[CB Fry]

55 minutes ago, MB said:

Broke the news we had interviewed GoN…. correct ✅

Said day one, literally when spygate broke, Tonda was behind everything… correct ✅

Said JWP was coming…. correct✅

Plenty more too….

in fact the only thing i have got wrong was Tonda getting fired, and that was only because Solak intervened and said we must keep him. 
 

Believe what you want I don’t give a shit. He’s banned and the club has lodged an appeal. Get over it 

Jesus wept.

The Spy stuff you are claiming as inside knowledge was everywhere and reported by those close to it at the time.

You are desperate to try and make out that you are telling us he is going to be banned when any fucking idiot knows that already and has for months.

You are full of shit.

Edited 9 hours ago by CB Fry

[beatlesaint]

Just now, CB Fry said:

Jesus wept.

The Spy stuff you are claiming as inside knowledge was everywhere and reported by those close to it at the time.

You ate desperate to try and make out that you are telling us he is going to be banned when any fucking idiot knows that already and has for months.

You are full of shit.

and very deliberately not revealing how long said ban is for as well 🤷‍♂️

[goodymatt]

The Rob Edwards link and radio silence from the FA over the last week since the hearing does support the theory that we have appealed a decision. Chelsea had appealed their initial decision (with success) and that was kept quiet throughout. 

Maybe there is a good chance Tonda will be in the dugout against the skates with an appeal ongoing. It’s all very frustrating as the expectation was by the end of this international break it would be fully dealt with. Still just over a week before then, so perhaps it still might be but at the moment it feels like the uncertainty might rumble on.

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, MB said:

Broke the news we had interviewed GoN…. correct ✅

Said day one, literally when spygate broke, Tonda was behind everything… correct ✅

Said JWP was coming…. correct✅

Plenty more too….

in fact the only thing i have got wrong was Tonda getting fired, and that was only because Solak intervened and said we must keep him. 
 

Believe what you want I don’t give a shit. He’s banned and the club has lodged an appeal. Get over it 

Sylla - Things changed and it didn't come to fruition.

GoN - Things changed and it didn't come to fruition.

JWP was coming - In November you said this would happen in January. Things changed and it didn't come to fruition until August.

Tonda getting fired - Things changed and it didn't come to fruition.

Tonda verdict in August - Things changed and it didn't come to fruition.

Tonda verdict on Friday - Things changed and it didn't come to fruition.

Tonda verdict on Monday - Guess what? Things changed and it didn't come to fruition.

You threatening to stop posting your info on at least 3 occasions- Guess what? ... 

I could even believe you are or think you are ITK but there is a very unfortunate pattern of all your news...it wouldn't be so funny if you just humbled yourself though  

 

[Pamplemousse]

Think we all know a ban is coming. Could be a touchline ban, stadium ban, total ban, ban from the town of Middlesbrough, who knows

[Fabrice29]

The good news about is ban is 

  

On 01/08/2026 at 18:38, MB said:

Its not as harsh though as people fear. 

 

so does make you wonder the point of sounding out Rob Edwards eh @mb

  

On 30/09/2026 at 10:20, MB said:

its all why the club have spoken to Rob Edward’s if as expected the clubs appeal is fruitless. 

 

[beatlesaint]

18 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

The Rob Edwards link and radio silence from the FA over the last week since the hearing does support the theory that we have appealed a decision. Chelsea had appealed their initial decision (with success) and that was kept quiet throughout. 

Maybe there is a good chance Tonda will be in the dugout against the skates with an appeal ongoing. It’s all very frustrating as the expectation was by the end of this international break it would be fully dealt with. Still just over a week before then, so perhaps it still might be but at the moment it feels like the uncertainty might rumble on.

I dont see any way in which if it has got to this stage Southampton FC havent issued a statement saying they are appealling the FA's decision.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, beatlesaint said:

I dont see any way in which if it has got to this stage Southampton FC havent issued a statement saying they are appealling the FA's decision.

Doesn't this depend on whether or not the rules the FA have in place for such proceedings allow clubs to make interim statements or whether clubs are sworn to secrecy until the process has completed...?

[31cc]

14 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Think we all know a ban is coming. Could be a touchline ban, stadium ban, total ban, ban from the town of Middlesbrough, who knows

That's not a punishment. That's a reward.

[beatlesaint]

26 minutes ago, trousers said:

Doesn't this depend on whether or not the rules the FA have in place for such proceedings allow clubs to make interim statements or whether clubs are sworn to secrecy until the process has completed...?

well I guess so but the process as far as they are concerned should be when they make their decision. An appeal is the start of a second process. You may be correct but bloody hell that makes it sound like a dictatorship - "ooh if you appeal our decision dont tell anyone" 😂 

Edited 7 hours ago by beatlesaint

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

ban from the town of Middlesbrough

That’s a reward, not a punishment.

Life preserving as well. Like the Bronx of the 1970s with strange accents.

@31cc apologies, you’d already said the same. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[hypochondriac]

When it's released and Tonda is inevitably banned, I hope people don't assume the bullshit artists are somehow itk.

[Roger]

I think there’s a very high chance we will find out tomorrow. 

[goodymatt]

6 hours ago, beatlesaint said:

I dont see any way in which if it has got to this stage Southampton FC havent issued a statement saying they are appealling the FA's decision.

We didn’t hear about Chelsea appealing until the final verdict was published but this is a manager not a club, so not sure if comparable for any hush rules from the FA.

[OttawaSaint]

1 hour ago, Roger said:

I think there’s a very high chance we will find out tomorrow. 

My understanding is that at some point in the future, we will find out something.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

8 hours ago, suewhistle said:

According to my friend who lives on the hill across the water from St Marys the lights have been on until late recently, which always happens when something is up..

We're presuming they know the verdict and are preparing for it..

Maybe someone just forgot to switch them off after the last game?

[LGTL]

It’s relatively obvious that he’s received a big old ban and the club are appealing, whilst wondering what on earth they’re going to do. In hindsight, he should have gone in the summer really. 

Edited 1 hour ago by LGTL

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, LGTL said:

It’s relatively obvious that he’s received a big old ban and the club are appealing, whilst wondering what on earth they’re going to do. In hindsight, he should have gone in the summer really. 

Yeah probably 

[Harry_SFC]

15 minutes ago, LGTL said:

It’s relatively obvious that he’s received a big old ban and the club are appealing, whilst wondering what on earth they’re going to do. In hindsight, he should have gone in the summer really. 

I agree with this. 6 month football ban I reckon. 

[hypochondriac]

I'm aware we have an international break but no sign or any recent quotes or appearances from Tonda anywhere in over a week coincidentally since the hearing. Doesn't seem likely to me that nothing has happened and we have just chosen not to feature him in any way.

[suewhistle]

8 hours ago, Pamplemousse said:

Think we all know a ban is coming. Could be a /SNIP/, ban from the town of Middlesbrough, who knows

It's meant to be a punishment..

Edit: should have read the whole thread!

 

 

Edited 21 minutes ago by suewhistle

[VectisSaint]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I'm aware we have an international break but no sign or any recent quotes or appearances from Tonda anywhere in over a week coincidentally since the hearing. Doesn't seem likely to me that nothing has happened and we have just chosen not to feature him in any way.

Don't we have a friendly with Villa tomorrow, or was that last week, one report said we lost 1-0 but not seen it mentioned anywhere else.

[Saint_lambden]

38 minutes ago, LGTL said:

It’s relatively obvious that he’s received a big old ban and the club are appealing, whilst wondering what on earth they’re going to do. In hindsight, he should have gone in the summer really. 

Correct. 

[suewhistle]

2 minutes ago, VectisSaint said:

Don't we have a friendly with Villa tomorrow, or was that last week, one report said we lost 1-0 but not seen it mentioned anywhere else.

Yep, 1-0 last week, but behind closed doors and no report apart from their new ex-Man Utd player scoring.

[CB Fry]

42 minutes ago, LGTL said:

It’s relatively obvious that he’s received a big old ban and the club are appealing, whilst wondering what on earth they’re going to do. In hindsight, he should have gone in the summer really. 

Not really in hindsight, it was obvious the day after we were kicked out of the play offs that it would have been a sensible clean break for everyone involved.

[MB]

9 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Jesus wept.

The Spy stuff you are claiming as inside knowledge was everywhere and reported by those close to it at the time.

You are desperate to try and make out that you are telling us he is going to be banned when any fucking idiot knows that already and has for months.

You are full of shit.

And you are a cunt 👏👏