Spying scandal rocks English football as Southampton expelled from world’s richest match

LONDON – Southampton have been thrown out of the Championship play-off final – the richest game in world football – after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough in one of the harshest punishments imposed in the English game.

The decision on May 19 by an independent disciplinary commission appointed by the English Football League (EFL) dramatically rewrites the second-tier promotion race and hands Boro an unlikely reprieve after they lost 2-1 on aggregate to Southampton in the semi-finals.

Middlesbrough have been reinstated and will face Hull City at Wembley on May 23 in a match routinely dubbed the richest in football because of the financial windfall attached to promotion to the English Premier League.

Even a single season in the Premier League, followed by immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth around £200 million (S$342.9 million) over three seasons through broadcast revenue, sponsorship and parachute payments.

Southampton admitted the charge of illegally spying on an opponent within 72 hours of a scheduled match, and also admitted similarly filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season. The Saints failed to win any of those games.

They had made no statement by midnight, but multiple reports said they were planning to appeal against the punishment.

The EFL said that subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to the May 23 fixture, leaving the club with a glimmer of hope.

The unprecedented ruling may open a Pandora’s box of legal issues, with some media reports saying Southampton’s players could have a case against their club for loss of earnings if they are denied a shot at reaching the Premier League.

Other reports said clubs who had failed to reach the play-offs could seek some form of compensation.

While the club had remained silent, Southampton fans had plenty to say, with some leaping to the club’s defence, while others voiced shame.

“Spying or not, we won fair and square on the pitch,” supporter Melissa Earley Gordon told Southampton newspaper The Daily Echo.

But Martin Sanders, who runs a Saints fan channel on YouTube and had booked tickets, travel and hotel for the final, told the newspaper he felt let down.

“Ashamed, disgusted, gutted, let down. Massively let down,” he said. “I am awaiting the club’s statement to see what the club have to say. I am appalled. I think the fans have been let down, I think the players have been let down.

Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their play-off semi-final, which ended 0-0, and welcomed the decision.

“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” Middlesbrough said in a statement.

“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”

The Saints were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the play-offs.

The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 – brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined £200,000. REUTERS