Southampton were expelled from the Championship playoffs after being found guilty of spying on their opponents. The Saints were initially accused of spying by their semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.
Tonda Eckert’s side managed to beat Boro over two legs and made it to the final. However, they were found guilty of spying and were charged by the EFL.
And after a decision by an independent commission, the Saints have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final. Middlesbrough will replace them as they face Hull for a chance at Premier League promotion.
Further punishment awaits Southampton, with reports that they could be docked points heading into next season.
The scandal has sparked a lot of legal talk, with players and staff at the club looking at ways to protect themselves after the team was charged and sanctioned.
Southampton CEO makes bold Leeds claim in latest statement
Leeds have been referenced to multiple times since the scandal emerged, with many pointing to them as the cause of this issue. Back in 2019, Marcelo Bielsa’s team were fined £200,000 for spying on opponents.
The rules changed after that incident, and that is what has brought about this latest scandal. Southampton CEO Phil Parsons released a statement after his team was kicked out of the playoffs. In it he referenced Leeds’ case back in 2019, as he defended his club.
An except from the statement, referencing the Bielsa spygate, read:
”we accept that there should be a sanction. What we cannot accept is a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence. Whereas Leeds United was fined £200,000 for a similar offence, Southampton has been denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million 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.”
READ MORE: “From £200k to £250m” – Simon Jordan makes ‘very strange’ Leeds United reference over spygate chaos
Stark difference between Southampton and Leeds scandals
Back in 2019, there was no specific law against spying on opponents. In fact, Leeds were charged and fined for breaking ”good faith” per regulation 3.4. The EFL then changed rules to cover spying.
And those have been in place, with Southampton flaunted recently. They broke the rules which clearly covered spying, and worst of all did it during the playoffs.
The severity of their punishment comes from the fact that they did it multiple times. Knowing the rules and purposelyy breaking them to give an advantage is far different from what happened when Bielsa was at Leeds.
So pundits, fans and coaches need to stop referencing Leeds United when this issue pops up.
This is a Bullshite post just like your shite club. Yes the game has been brought into disrepute cheating is cheating must be punished but either points reduction and fine or massive fine forfeiting the financial benefit of the 200m would have been enough. Our club the fans players have been vilified unfairly.This could totally sink our club imagine the ramifications of players manager and possibly more points n fines n total bankruptcy.