SOUTHAMPTON have had their appeal against their Championship Play-off final expulsion denied by the EFL.
The Saints were originally booted from their Wembley fixture on Tuesday and slapped with a four-point deduction for next season after
Tonda Eckert’s Southampton have found out their Championship Play-off final fate Credit: Getty
The controversy emerged after a Southampton employee was spotted spying on Boro’s trainingCredit: Refer to source
And after an immediate appeal by the side, the independent disciplinary commission’s decision has now been upheld, meaning the Saints will not feature in the final on Saturday.
The governing body released a statement that read: “A league arbitration panel has tonight dismissed Southampton Football Club’s appeal against the independent Disciplinary Commission’s sanction following the admittance of multiple breaches of EFL regulations.”
The controversy stemmed from an incident in which a figure was caught filming a training session of their Play-off semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.
The figure, later identified as club intern Will Salt, left after being confronted by club staff, igniting a bitter row dubbed “Spygate 2.0.”
Things were not helped when Southampton, managed by Tonda Eckert, dumped Boro out of the competition last week with an aggregate score of 2-1.
An independent disciplinary commission heard Southampton admit to breaching EFL regulations that prevent the monitoring of opponents within a 72-hour period of a match.
They also admitted to two further instances of spying this season, ahead of matches with Oxford United and Ipswich Town.
Middlesbrough were subsequently reinstated to the Play-off final, where they were scheduled to face Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.
Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg slammed the Saints for their conduct following the Play-off semis Credit: Reuters
The Saints wasted no time in launching an appeal against the decision, which being “put on trial for murder when all you’ve done is stolen a Mars bar from the corner shop.”
That appeal was expedited to conclude on Wednesday in order to not affect the timing of the Play-off final.
Southampton CEO Phil Parsons on Wednesday, but echoed the sentiment that the punishment was not proportionate to the breaches.
Parsons wrote: “What happened was wrong. The club has admitted breaches of EFL Regulations 3.4 and 127.
“We are sorry to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the supporters whose extraordinary loyalty and support this season deserved better from the club.
“We have provided our full co-operation to the EFL’s investigation and disciplinary process.
“Following the appeal, we will also be writing to the EFL to volunteer our participation in a working group on the practical application and enforcement of Regulation 127 across the Championship. Contrition without change is hollow, and we intend to demonstrate change.
“On the appeal itself: we accept that there should be a sanction. What we cannot accept is a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence.
“Whereas was fined £200,000 for a similar offence, Southampton has been denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200million and one which means so much to our staff, players and supporters.
“We believe the financial consequence of yesterday’s ruling makes it, by a very considerable distance, the largest penalty ever imposed on an English football club.”
The EFL also revealed that kick-off for the fixture would , but would revert to 4.30pm in the event that Southampton’s appeal was successful.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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