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Southampton boss Tonda Eckert took charge of a “contrived, determined and deplorable” spying operation that led to the club’s exit from the Championship play-off final, an independent commission has said.
The written reasons for the Commission’s decision shall also disclose:
- Tonda Eckert admitted that she “specifically approved of the observations.”
- Southampton had “a particularly deplorable” approach to the use of junior staff members
- Junior staff were pressured to carry out activities deemed morally wrong
- Southampton initially told the EFL that no video was captured or analysed
- Southampton argued that they did not gain a “competitive advantage” from the spying, but the commission rejected this, saying “sporting advantage is separate from sporting success”.
- After mitigation, the initial six-point discount was reduced to four points
The commission concluded that Southampton had to be thrown out of Saturday’s play-off final at Wembley – which will now be between Hull and Middlesbrough – because “the integrity of the competition was seriously breached”.
However, they dropped Southampton’s points from six to four for next season after the club admitted spying Ipswich and Oxford in excess.
The FAO confirmed it had opened an investigation in Southampton.
Sky Sports News Southampton have been contacted for comment. In a statement released by Southampton on Wednesday evening, the Saints said they were “disappointed” with the outcome of the appeal and still maintained the sanction was disproportionate.
The spying was done ‘on the orders of senior officials’
Southampton were initially reported to the EFL by Middlesbrough after they alleged that a member of Southampton staff had spied on a training session ahead of their play-off semi-final on 7 May, in breach of league rules, the EFL charged them the next day.
Eckert “authorized” a member of staff to obtain information about Oxford’s formation, while also empowering a colleague to look into the availability of Middlesbrough players.
The independent commission explained that Southampton “deliberately sought a competitive advantage” and “seriously breached” the integrity of the play-offs.
In its written reasons for reaching Wednesday’s verdict, the independent commission said the filming conducted by the saints was part of a deliberate plan.
“We conclude that there was a deliberate and concerted top-down plan, on the part of the respondent, to gain a competitive advantage in actual significant competition through the deliberate presence of the opponent’s training grounds for the purpose of obtaining strategic and electoral information,” the independent commission wrote.
“This involved much more than innocent activity and involved a particularly deplorable approach in using junior members of staff to conduct covert surveillance under the direction of senior staff.”
Commission says financial penalty ‘pointless’
Southampton cited Leeds’ £200,000 fine if they were found guilty of spying on Derby County ahead of the play-offs in 2019.
However, the independent commission said any single potential financial penalty would be “pointless” and EFL Regulation 127, introduced in June 2019 after Marco Bielsa’s ‘Spygate’, bans observation of opposition training.
Spygate Timeline: How Did We Get Here?
May 7: Middlesbrough have made a formal complaint to the EFL that a Southampton staff member spied on their training session three days before the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
9 May: Boro boss Kim Helberg accused Southampton of cheating after the first leg was held to a 0-0 draw at the Riverside Stadium.
May 12: Southampton have been accused of breaching EFL rules over spying. Southampton requested additional time to conduct an internal review.
May 13: The leaked images allegedly showed the Southampton analyst near Middlesbrough’s training ground.
May 14: An independent hearing to decide Southampton’s fate has been announced on or before Tuesday
May 19: In a statement, the EFL said “the outcome of disciplinary proceedings may still change the fixture.”
15 May: Middlesbrough publicly called for Southampton to be kicked out of the play-offs. In a statement, they said: “In these circumstances, the only appropriate response is a sporting sanction which would prevent Southampton FC from participating in the play-off final of the EFL Championship.”
May 18: Middlesbrough players return to training as outcome of independent disciplinary hearing looms.
May 19: The EFL has announced the exclusion of Southampton from the play-off final following a hearing.
20 May: The judgment at Southampton’s appeal hearing was dismissed.
May 21: The FA launched an investigation into Southampton and the independent commission issued written reasons after the appeal was dismissed
