Southampton have removed play-off final ticket information from their website, amid growing fears they could be thrown out of showdown with Hull City amid the ongoing investigation into alleged spying.
Daily Mail Sport revealed last Thursday that a Southampton first-team analyst was caught allegedly recording Middlesbrough’s training from the bushes ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final first leg, which ended goalless.
On Friday night, the EFL charged the South Coast club with a breach of their rules.
Daily Mail Sport exclusively revealed a picture on Wednesday that proves the individual, who we have positively identified as Southampton intern William Salt, was overlooking Boro’s tactical drills in the 72 hours before their Championship play-off semi-final first leg on Saturday.
It could yet lead to Saints being kicked out of next weekend’s play-off final and replaced by Middlesbrough.
Southampton had published ticket information for the final on the club’s website on Wednesday, with the Saints announcing sales would begin on Friday morning.
Southampton pulled ticket information for the Championship play-off final from their website
A Southampton analyst hiding behind a tree to spy on Middlesbrough’s training session
The information had stated that tickets would be made available to season ticket holders who have attended 10 or more away games across the past two seasons.
Additional ticket windows for next Monday and Tuesday were also announced by the club.
Southampton had confirmed full ticket details, including coach travel and pricing would be released this morning.
The Championship side, however, pulled the information from their website after reportedly being required by the EFL to publish ticket details at the same time as their play-off opponents Hull City – rather than being due to the ongoing spying investigation.
Southampton reached the final by beating Middlesbrough 2-1 on Tuesday night in their semi-final second leg, but a hearing could determine that Saints cheated by observing and recording Boro’s training and remove them from the competition.
The viewing of opposition training in the 72 hours prior to a game is a breach of EFL rules, introduced after the Spygate furore involving Leeds United in 2019.
Daily Mail Sport’s Spygate investigation uncovered a picture of Salt on the shoulder of Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert, celebrating his manager of the month prize for February. Salt, say sources, is a key part of Eckert’s first-team operation and highly valued by the German.
Interestingly, he was not present on the picture of Eckert and his backroom staff released last Thursday to mark April’s manager of the month award. That was the same day he was pictured between bushes at Boro’s training base before being confronted by club staff and fleeing the area after running into a nearby golf club and changing clothes in the toilet.
Eckert also won the divisional prize for March and, again, Salt was not on the celebratory picture released to the media on April 9. Southampton beat play-off rivals Derby County 2-1 two days later.
William Salt, circled, is pictured with manager Tonda Eckert to mark February’s Manager of the Month award
Daily Mail Sport understands the intern, formerly of Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, used his bank card on Thursday to buy a coffee at Rockliffe Hall Golf Club – owned by Boro chairman Steve Gibson. The apparent slip has given rise to the possibility of a paper trail across the country, with transactions close to the bases of other Championship clubs in the days prior to playing Southampton.
We understand that one Championship club believe they were spied on after changing manager before playing Eckert’s side in December. CCTV is being reviewed. Since being appointed Saints boss in November, Eckert’s team have the second-best record from set-pieces in the Championship.
The case will be heard by an independent disciplinary commission after the EFL charged the south coast club with a breach of the League’s rules.
Kim Hellberg’s Boro squad will not go on holiday until there is a resolution to the case, with the play-off final taking place at Wembley a week on Saturday.
Boro’s players will return to training on Friday. There is now pressure on the EFL to schedule the hearing before this weekend to give clarity to all involved, not least both sets of supporters.
