Ups & Downs 25/26

[WestYorksRoyal]

Really poor statement and the disproportionate point is nonsense. If you cheat in a knock out fixture, what would be a proportionate punishment if not awarding the win to the opponent? The fact the fixture is worth £200m doesn't change that.

[Wycombe Royal]

So Southampton's statement just seems to contain lots of irrelevant references to punishments dished out to other clubs for totally different offences. Not sure how they think that helps them.

They talk about it being disproportionate and then mention the financial gains of promotion. Isn't that why the penalty is so severe?

Maybe they should be handed a £200m fine payable whether they get promoted or not as that is the minimum potential prize on offer.

But their statement also reads like they would have got promoted......maybe they should show a bit more remorse for the actions committed by their staff and distance themselves from those actions.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Am I the only one who finds this stuff just as fun to watch as an exciting end to end game of football? Can't beat a bit of off field drama.

[tidus_mi2]

Am I the only one who finds this stuff just as fun to watch as an exciting end to end game of football? Can't beat a bit of off field drama.

Nope, find it hilarious, especially with sections of the Southampton fans and there was even a player who mocked it.

[Dirk Gently]

Am I the only one who finds this stuff just as fun to watch as an exciting end to end game of football? Can't beat a bit of off field drama.

Nope, find it hilarious, especially with sections of the Southampton fans and there was even a player who mocked it.

Exactly that. The second a Saints player celebrates with "binoculars" all sympathy flies out of the window.

Tawdry, nasty little club getting exactly what they deserve.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Hull now suggesting a fair outcome is that they get promoted with a PO final.

[genome]

Hull now considering legal challenge to see if they can be promoted straight to the Premier League

https://x.com/JacobsBen/status/2057105312339898515

[John Madejski's Wallet]

If they have admitted spying on Oxford and Ipswich it won’t end there.

Why would they spy on just two random teams during a whole season pre playoffs?

I still don't get advantage in all this ...... they lost those Ipswich & Oxford games.

It's not like NFL or something where teams can rehearse certain plays, Football teams don't even really change their style game to game

[John Madejski's Wallet]

And again, the day before would have been no punishment.


But it is still fukking funny, and i'm here for it

[6ft Kerplunk]

It's not like NFL or something where teams can rehearse certain plays, Football teams don't even really change their style game to game

Yeah they can, or at least be practising how their going to defend and attack against the opposition's normal formation and style of play. You'll also find out which players are injured and not training. All of which helps you counteract what's being planned.
For the playoffs in particular I expect you'd also be practising penalties. Massive advantage in knowing where players who don't normally take penalties are likely to place them.

They wouldn't be doing it at all if there was nothing to gain from it.

[katweslowski]

but I cannot see how that much useful info could ever be gleaned by such subterfuge.

Yes same here. I said this earlier I think - what possible advantage could you get. Even if you could identify the starting 11 and some of their set pieces - is that REALLY going to be such a help? In most cases you can guess all of that. The clubs stick to the same 8-9 players most of the time. It's hardly worth such a stupid gamble or risk on.

[katweslowski]

From the Southampton FC Forum:

More and more stories about how harsh the sanction is and the possibility of more legal proceedings as a result. Don’t necessarily think it’ll make a difference for us tonight but the EFL have screwed this up royally. If Boro win on Saturday they will have hell to pay on multiple fronts.

Actually, I think they've done a good job for once. They took quick decisive action and I think did the right thing.

The views are mixed with some accepting the punishment and not really having a leg to stand on, and some saying it's harsh an dmissing the point. Some even asking "where's the proof" - when i fact the club admitted it

[WestYorksRoyal]

I can see how it could give an advantage in theory but not in practice. Oxford had a new manager which may have led to a tactical change. The Ipswich match was a huge match, and remember that Southampton were the form team in the country so it could well have been worth having an anti-Southampton masterplan.

But then, how on earth do you expect an intern with a smartphone to uncover anything valuable? Maybe they should have gone all out with high tech surveillance.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Just wait for the conspiracy theories when Hull beat Middlesbrough thanks to a VAR howler.

[Royal Rother]

It's not like NFL or something where teams can rehearse certain plays, Football teams don't even really change their style game to game

Yeah they can, or at least be practising how their going to defend and attack against the opposition's normal formation and style of play. You'll also find out which players are injured and not training. All of which helps you counteract what's being planned.
For the playoffs in particular I expect you'd also be practising penalties. Massive advantage in knowing where players who don't normally take penalties are likely to place them.

They wouldn't be doing it at all if there was nothing to gain from it.

Spot on.

It seems too obvious to have to say it but seriously, the fact that they didn't win against Ipswich and Oxford is completely irrelevant. They will have gained SOME knowledge and used it in those games. It is perfectly reasonable to suggest that without that knowledge they COULD have lost more heavily.

[Whore Jackie]

Some people say it [watching an opponents’s pre-match training session] doesn’t give you a big advantage. That’s wrong; it’s a massive advantage. Without it [spying] it would have been impossible for them to know our shape in the first half. We have never used that shape before today. It’s just unfair. It’s not OK. There was anger. There’s a loss of respect. It makes me disappointed. It was a big game and they saw everything we were doing – set pieces, goal-kicks, everything.

[Clyde1998]

If they have admitted spying on Oxford and Ipswich it won’t end there.

Why would they spy on just two random teams during a whole season pre playoffs?

I still don't get advantage in all this ...... they lost those Ipswich & Oxford games.

It's not like NFL or something where teams can rehearse certain plays, Football teams don't even really change their style game to game

On the first point: that's likely why they've admitted to doing it for those games. They're not going to admit doing it for games they won.

I don't think they'd do it for three matches and not for any others either. Why would you do it for Oxford and not Coventry; Hull; or Wrexham (for example)?

On the second: it would likely give them a heads up as to which players are likely to start or be available; and any specific tactical changes which they could expect. This would allow them plan better and alert them of any 'surprises' (such as a player unexpectedly coming back from injury).

[Dirk Gently]

It's not like NFL or something where teams can rehearse certain plays, Football teams don't even really change their style game to game

Yeah they can, or at least be practising how their going to defend and attack against the opposition's normal formation and style of play. You'll also find out which players are injured and not training. All of which helps you counteract what's being planned.
For the playoffs in particular I expect you'd also be practising penalties. Massive advantage in knowing where players who don't normally take penalties are likely to place them.

They wouldn't be doing it at all if there was nothing to gain from it.

Spot on.

It seems too obvious to have to say it but seriously, the fact that they didn't win against Ipswich and Oxford is completely irrelevant. They will have gained SOME knowledge and used it in those games. It is perfectly reasonable to suggest that without that knowledge they COULD have lost more heavily.

Yep, and considering the importance of set pieces these days, knowing free-kick and corner routines could be absolutely invaluable.

Anyway, even if there was no advantage gained, there absolutely was a rule explicitly stating that you can't do this exact thing.

[windermereROYAL]

Staggering that the appeal hearing is starting at 6.00pm, you would have thought the clubs involved would want an outcome ASAP with just 3 days to go.
I reckon Saints will edge it.

[Pepe the Horseman]

DENIED

A League Arbitration Panel has today dismissed Southampton Football Club’s appeal against the Independent Disciplinary Commission’s decision in respect of breaches of EFL Regulations.

As a result, the original sanction remains in force. Southampton’s expulsion from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs stands, alongside the four-point deduction to be applied to the Club’s 2026/27 Championship record and the reprimand in respect of all charges. In accordance with EFL Regulations, the decision of the League Arbitration Panel is final.

Following the conclusion of the proceedings, the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Hull City and Middlesbrough is confirmed as taking place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 23 May, kicking off at 3.30pm.