Southampton thrown out!

[Leicesterbaggie]

Southampton have been thrown out of the play-offs plus a points deduction for next season. That is the correct decision but I did not think that it would be implemented. That will certainly discourage anybody else from doing it in the future. Bet Middlesbrough are chuffed!

[soulman101]

Snap, both of us with finger on the trigger

[kettering_baggie]

I am very, very surprised, I didn’t think that the EFL would have the guts to make the correct decision. Whatever people’s view regarding the see of this sanction, the fact is that Southampton broke the rules, they cheated, so it serves them right.

[baggieal]

Good decision! Cheating horrible t wats

[soulman101]

- 4 points next season as well

[baggieal]

Come back Tom you don?t want to play for cheating b astards 😭😭😭😭

[stargazer_1962]

3 threads on this so lets stick with this one.
I'm suprised that the EFL has acted so swiftly and strongly.
Hope the Boro fans are able to make the game, though I'm not fussed who wins

[TipperaryBaggie]

I wonder why they didn't send anybody to spy on our training!

[baggieal]

I wonder why they didn't send anybody to spy on our training!

Blackpool pleasure beach were spying 😭

[soulman101]

They admitted spying on Ipswitch and Oxford , good chance they have done it all season .

[On Balance]

The legal issues may possibly ride on for some time. The whole issue actually is not good for the game, which is, as some have said, in an absolute mess.

I despair for what was once a great sporting game, now won and lost, not on the pitch, but in rooms and by the wealth of owners and their legal representatives.

I see this dragging out a while yet.

[Omegstrat6]

Right decision for me and glad that the EFL acted promptly as regards the play offs situation but if further investigations reveal that they had also been spying on other clubs then surely a points deduction carried over for next season has to be a reasonable consequence?

[baggiematt]

The legal issues may possibly ride on for some time. The whole issue actually is not good for the game, which is, as some have said, in an absolute mess.

I despair for what was once a great sporting game, now won and lost, not on the pitch, but in rooms and by the wealth of owners and their legal representatives.

I see this dragging out a while yet.

Apparently the EFL think the appeal could be over quite quick, as they admitted to the spying but not the sanction. I agree with you that once solicitors get involved it will drag out though.

The thing that will rumble, is how the other clubs react to the spying and do they have compensation claims to come. If they spied in Oxford, they likely spied on more! I think they only admitted to Oxford and Ipswich because they wouldnt have strong cases for compensation: Ipswich went up and Oxford beat them.

The players have lost out financially, so inevitably they will be calling their agents about moves. And then what needs to happen to Eckert? Surely his position is now untenable. I imagine a substantial ban is coming his way too.

[baggieal]

Apparently the EFL think the appeal could be over quite quick, as they admitted to the spying but not the sanction. I agree with you that once solicitors get involved it will drag out though.

The thing that will rumble, is how the other clubs react to the spying and do they have compensation claims to come. If they spied in Oxford, they likely spied on more! I think they only admitted to Oxford and Ipswich because they wouldnt have strong cases for compensation: Ipswich went up and Oxford beat them.

The players have lost out financially, so inevitably they will be calling their agents about moves. And then what needs to happen to Eckert? Surely his position is now untenable. I imagine a substantial ban is coming his way too.

You are right Matt. Looking at the Saints fan forums too some of them are seething and want refunds for both play off legs and travel and hotel tickets paid for Wembley which can not be refunded.

Middlesbrough were smart in quickly communicating on their website it was the correct decision and now focusing on ticketing for Wembley. They too would go legal if the decision was overturned. Wrexham could have a case too for not making the play offs and would have done if Saints had been banned earlier.

A complete mess but will not be overturned as it could be worse. Expect the lawyers to make a fortune out of this though when Saints have effectively lost 200 million plus if they had beaten Hull.

Hull too would have done all their preparations based on playing Saints so not happy!

[baggieal]

No communication on the Saints website whatsoever and for sure they have been told not too in case they legally implement themselves!