Other types of cheating

[PJ]

I've been thinking of other cheating offences and how the EFL have now set a precedent they should follow. I get that diving on the pitch is different - there is the potential for the player/club to be punished in the act and during the game (if the referee is crap, that's a different issue).

But there is one off-the-pitch cheating that i reckon all sensible fans of all clubs will acknowledge happens everywhere - tapping up players. Tapping up is clearly cheating, and in a way that unquestionably tries to give you a sporting advantage. The club is unlawfully trying to get a player in their side at the expense of other clubs. Based on the EFL's position on Spygate, whenever a club is found to have tapped-up (or tried to tap up a player - regardless of whether the player then joined the club), then the EFL must prevent that club from competing in the playoffs and add points deductions.

[Saint Troy]

I think this is an interesting question. It’s not that I don’t think we shouldn’t be punished, I do think sporting sanctions for cheating are right, but it needs to follow now with a sweeping change. Financial fair play misses are clear cheating and ejection from the competition should happen in the same way. 

[sadoldgit]

By taking the nuclear option over something that has been seen as trivial by many very experienced people in football the EFL have made a rod for their own back. There could well be calls for explosion for all manner of indiscretions in future.

[Hatch]

Hopefully we get to see Man City in the same league as Eastleigh

[die Mannyschaft]

I dont think any other form of cheating will really matter now. Boro have ensured Saints have committed football murder and Man City's shop lifting will be over looked or just told to put the sweets back on counter (small fine ).

At the rate 115 is going it will breach the legal time to bring a case or complete. 

[disconnect]

For years Saints have been the nice guys, happily developing players for other teams to be tapped up, with numerous outstanding youngsters moving for minimal fees following tapping up from bigger clubs. It's even happened blatently to our star players whilst in the premier league, and yet nothing has happened. Whilst we've towed the lined and been "net spend champions" numerous times in the past, that has got us nowhere, and we've seen loads of clubs find increasingly dodgy loopholes for their extremely dodgy financial dealings, whilst we get totally thrown to the wolves for something that most logical people see can only give a very minor edge (if any!), not fundamentally improve the quality of players on the pitch. 

If there's something that comes out of this, is that I really hope Saints do go back and raise complaints (publically!) and some big lawsuits whenever anything previously deemed trivial or minor comes along. I can see a massive tidal change in the way football is regulated now, as every single club will be raising things with the EFL, FA and Premier League (or at least, if promoted, Boro will!) every week and it's going to become a nightmare for them.

Making an example of one club, and letting another club completely try to tarnish an opposition clubs name through the media (whilst having their own board members on regulatory boards) is all very dodgy, but now every club can see that's how the EFL let you get what you want, they'll be doing this continually. 

[Ted Bates Statue]

Immoral actions are rife in football, but I'm amazed by how whiter than white supporters of other teams have suddenly become as they clutch their pearls at what we've done.

Just off the top of my head:

 

Chelsea - Selling the hotel to the parent company; 74 charges

Liverpool - Tapping up VVD; cyber crime

Man City - 115 rule breaches; subsidised stadium

Manchester United - Massive debt, Fergie time, Edwards family selling condemned meat to schools

Newcastle - Sportswashing; falsely claiming covid to postpone our fixture during relegation battle

West Ham - Taxpayers' stadium