Southampton

[Orgoner]

Since it seems that they spied more than one team, it would be interesting to see what the final table would look like if all their fixtures were expunged.

Not going to happen (or apply!), but I might do an AI thing to find out for giggles.

[Orgoner]

Just did it and the top six would still be in the same order, but with Southampton removed (I.e. Wrexham would be sixth).

Same three teams relegated, but with Leicester swapping spots with Oxford.

[Orgoner]

I'll see if I can get it up, so to speak.

[Orgoner]

Simulated 2025–26 Championship Table (Southampton Removed)

Pos Team Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD Points
1 Coventry City �� 44 27 10 7 94 43 +51 91
2 Ipswich Town �� 44 23 14 7 78 45 +33 83
3 Middlesbrough �� 44 21 13 10 68 47 +21 76
4 Millwall 44 23 10 11 61 47 +14 73
5 Hull City 44 20 10 14 68 63 +5 70
6 Wrexham 44 19 14 11 64 60 +4 71
7 Derby County 44 19 9 16 64 56 +8 66
8 Norwich City 44 18 8 18 61 54 +7 62
9 Birmingham City 44 17 12 15 55 52 +3 63
10 Swansea City 44 18 9 17 56 57 -1 63
11 Bristol City 44 16 10 18 54 56 -2 58
12 Sheffield United 44 17 6 21 65 65 0 57
13 Preston North End 44 14 15 15 52 59 -7 57
14 Queens Park Rangers 44 16 10 18 60 66 -6 58
15 Watford 44 13 15 16 52 64 -12 54
16 Stoke City 44 14 10 20 49 54 -5 52
17 Portsmouth 44 14 12 18 48 63 -15 54
18 Charlton Athletic 44 13 13 18 42 52 -10 52
19 Blackburn Rovers 44 12 13 19 40 52 -12 49
20 West Bromwich Albion 44 12 13 19 45 54 -9 49
21 Oxford United 44 10 14 20 43 56 -13 44
22 Leicester City �� 44 12 16 16 55 61 -6 40
23 Sheffield Wednesday �� 44 2 12 30 27 83 -56 0

[Orgoner]

That isn't the modified table. I have it on my phone though.

[Orgoner]

AI is not to be trusted, kids!

[spaldy]

Maybe I'm in the minority but this offense doesn't seem to warrant the severity of the punishiment. Is there really anything that "spying produced" that won a game for them? Did Bielsa's observing of fat frank's practices make any difference on game day?

Does Citeh, Scum or any of the "big six" get removed from Europe football? I think we know the answer to that.

Finally, how is this any different that diving in the box, faking injuries or stalling or the countless fouls and set plays to take the keeper out on restarts. There are rules to all of these offenses and they are violated every game.

The 4 point penalty never occurs to the big six or teams that are owned by some of the more important FA ruling committees.

[WTF11]

Just did it and the top six would still be in the same order, but with Southampton removed (I.e. Wrexham would be sixth).

Same three teams relegated, but with Leicester swapping spots with Oxford.

And my "beloved" Wrexham get a chance to do back to back to back to back promotions!😉

Not going to happen but would have been "interesting"!

[WTF11]

Maybe I'm in the minority but this offense doesn't seem to warrant the severity of the punishiment. Is there really anything that "spying produced" that won a game for them? Did Bielsa's observing of fat frank's practices make any difference on game day?

Does Citeh, Scum or any of the "big six" get removed from Europe football? I think we know the answer to that.

Finally, how is this any different that diving in the box, faking injuries or stalling or the countless fouls and set plays to take the keeper out on restarts. There are rules to all of these offenses and they are violated every game.

The 4 point penalty never occurs to the big six or teams that are owned by some of the more important FA ruling committees.

Ok, there were no rules that forbade "spying" at time Leeds were "found out", it was more a case of gentlemen agreement no to (largely why Bielsa who instigated to action paid the fine himself). Now there are.

Break a rule and get found out, face the consequences. The fact that Schitty, Chelski and others gave gotten away (so far) is irrelevant. If the rules can be ignored, why have them? (Can you imagine what would happen to Leeds if we were in the same situation?)

As to the query abiut on-field behaviour, they too are governed by rules although how they are interpreted and applied leaves a great deal to be desired. Unfortunately each such incident can't be examined in detail as the "spygate" one has been (VAR is bad enough!)

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

People who cheat deserve consequences. saints coughed up to 3 breaches but one of those was months ago - did they really stop in the intervening period?


Glad that one of the football authorities seems to be keen to harshly deal with clear cheating no matter what the benefits of the cheating actually were.

[WTF11]

People who cheat deserve consequences. saints coughed up to 3 breaches but one of those was months ago - did they really stop in the intervening period?


Glad that one of the football authorities seems to be keen to harshly deal with clear cheating no matter what the benefits of the cheating actually were.

What he said x2

[Billyni]

If you record all the oppositions games and dissect their tactics and set plays, is that cheating?
Whats to be gained from sneaking around a tree, unless you’re andy or the Rev.
Anyway, they only made the rule up in the first place, because it was Leeds.

[spaldy]

Can't argue with the statement on cheating.

However, does spying on a practice really affect a game? Maybe.

Does faking an injury to a keeper when the opposing team is mounting an attack and the all important momentum affect a game. Definitely Yes and is very easy to account for.

In the scheme of things the fake injury has a much bigger, direct and immediate threat to the opponent than spying on a practice. With the constant surveillance going on to all of us it's much more likely that many teams are doing it. Southhampton just wasn't very good at it.

No love lost for them but the reality is they got hammered by the FA just to keep the other teams in line. Like beating up the smallest kid at the school rather than addressing the bully that is causing all of the problems.

[WTF11]

Can't argue with the statement on cheating.

However, does spying on a practice really affect a game? Maybe.

Does faking an injury to a keeper when the opposing team is mounting an attack and the all important momentum affect a game. Definitely Yes and is very easy to account for.

In the scheme of things the fake injury has a much bigger, direct and immediate threat to the opponent than spying on a practice. With the constant surveillance going on to all of us it's much more likely that many teams are doing it. Southhampton just wasn't very good at it.

No love lost for them but the reality is they got hammered by the FA just to keep the other teams in line. Like beating up the smallest kid at the school rather than addressing the bully that is causing all of the problems.

NOT THE Football Association (FA), who are involved. The ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE (EFL), are responsible for sorting the Southampton situation out as Southampton aren't in the Premier League. And if they (the EFL) cracks the whip on club's that break the rules, IMHO that's no bad thing.

[WTF11]

And they have lost their appeal against the punishment. Now it's the management/owners who should face punishment for sanctioning the a young in the first case.