Southampton have failed in their appeal to overturn the club’s expulsion from the Championship play-off final for their part in the Spygate scandal.
Middlesbrough, whose training session Saints admitted to spying on before the play-off semi-final, will now face Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.
After the appeal was heard by an independent arbitration panel last night, the EFL said in a statement: ‘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 determination means that the original sanction of expulsion from the Sky Bet
Championship play-offs remains in place, as does the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table and the reprimand in respect of all charges.’
Southampton responded, and said in a statement: ‘This is an extremely disappointing outcome for everybody connected with Southampton Football Club. We know how painful this moment will be for our supporters, players, staff, commercial partners and the wider community who have given so much backing to the team throughout the season and we apologise once again to everyone impacted by this.
‘While we fully acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and the scrutiny that has followed, the club has consistently believed the original sporting sanction was disproportionate, a view that has been widely shared by many in the football community over the last 24 hours.
Southampton have lost their appeal against the EFL, with Middlesbrough now officially confirmed as Hull City ’s opponents in Sunday’s Championship play-off final
Southampton spy William Salt was caught filming at Middlesbrough’s training ground
‘We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to our supporters for the support, patience and loyalty they have shown throughout an incredibly difficult period. We will share information as soon as possible in relation to ticket refunds for those who bought tickets to Wembley.
‘Southampton Football Club has a proud history and strong foundations, but it is clear that trust now needs to be rebuilt. That work begins immediately. The club will reflect carefully on the events that have led to this point, learn from them and take the necessary steps to move forward responsibly.
‘While tonight is a painful moment, this football club will respond with humility, accountability and determination to put things right.’
Southampton had hired Lord Pannick KC – Manchester City’s lawyer in their fight against the Premier League – in a bid to have their removal from the final overturned, citing what they thought was an excessive punishment.
However, after the appeal was unsuccessful, they could now face legal action from their own players. Daily Mail Sport understands the squad have missed out on a potential bonus of £250,000 per player for promotion to the Premier League. Several players are considering their legal options after it was revealed to us that contracts included a £150,000 bonus for those who have appeared in 50 per cent of matches. Anything less than 50 per cent was awarded on a pro-rata basis.
There was also a one-off pool payment worth at least £2million to be shared among the group, taking the possible windfall to a quarter-of-a-million-pound per man. There was then the guarantee of relegation wage drops being restored – some as high as 40 per cent, equating to as much as £1million per year – had Southampton beaten Hull in the final at Wembley. Others had wage-related promotion incentives.
The squad’s senior leaders have discussed the matter and are said to be furious, not only because of the financial impact, but the sporting loss of the chance to play in the Premier League.
Saints were kicked out of the final on Tuesday after admitting to spying on Middlesbrough and two other rival teams during an independent disciplinary hearing. They were also docked four points ahead of next season. Incriminating text-message evidence between Saints employees, including head coach Tonda Eckert, was key to the case against them. We understand Eckert would have taken charge of the final, but his long-term future is less certain.
Southampton captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis appeared to mock a Middlesbrough player with a binoculars celebration after their qualification for the final
Southampton could now face a class action from their own squad over a potential loss of earnings. We have been told players were unaware of the spying practice. It also thought that technical director Johannes Spors was not implicated during the hearing and had no knowledge of the systemic spying taking place within the first-team set-up.
Chief executive Phil Parsons said in a statement yesterday that the club could not accept ‘a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence’.
Daily Mail Sport revealed on May 7 that a Southampton first-team analyst was confronted by Boro staff after he was spotted hiding behind a tree at their Rockliffe Park base. He then ran into a nearby golf club, changed clothes in the toilet and fled the area. The EFL charged Saints with a breach of their rules, which prohibit clubs from observing opposition training.
We later revealed a picture of intern William Salt filming Boro’s training on his iPhone and exposed his close connection to Eckert. The head coach and Salt will now likely face FA disciplinary action and the admission of guilt raises serious doubt over their futures. The FA could impose bans on individuals involved.
Meanwhile, Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has confirmed the club are examining whether the final can be cancelled, with a view to earning automatic promotion to the Premier League.
‘Under normal circumstances, two teams have reached the final and one has been disqualified,’ Ilicali said. ‘Our lawyers’ opinion is that we should go directly to the Premier League, but they’re examining it right now. We can’t say anything definitive. It’s a bit of a messy situation.
‘We had been preparing for Southampton for 10 days. All the planning, analysis, and work was focused on them. Now, with the days left until the final, the opponent has changed. Thursday is the last serious training session. We’ll prepare for the new opponent with one training session.’
