Ups & Downs 25/26

[Royal Rother]

The EFL need to protect the integrity of one of the most important games in the competitions they oversee. (The Leeds / Derby issue that resulted in a £200k fine is next to irrelevant and is not a precedent of any merit to my mind as it was mid-season.)

Perhaps somewhat naively, I think they'll boot Southampton out because they could have gained an unfair advantage and that cannot be allowed to happen under any circumstances, otherwise the game will potentially head down a dark and dismal path that ends in corruption.

Once a cancer like that starts, it inevitably spreads - only application of the severest penalty will stop it in its tracks, at least for the forseeable.

[Winston Biscuit]

football finance/rules matey on talksport yesterday poo poo'd the idea of Southampton paying off Middlesbrough to get this out the way, as he made the point that this is not an arbitration issue between Middlesbrough and Southampton, its a disciplinary issue between Southampton and the EFL

I'm not sure. There are plenty of precedents for clubs suing each other. Sheffield United and West Ham over Tevez, Middlesbrough and Derby over FFP breaches.

The disciplinary is between the EFL and Southampton. If the conclusion is a fine and suspended points deduction, that will pale in insignificance of the potential riches of promotion which they are now only 1 game away from. Southampton will be big favourites, as would have been Middlesbrough.

So they would be able to argue, with good reason, that Southampton broke the rules and gained an unfair sporting advantage that has cost Middlesbrough a lot of money financially. Sounds like enough to at least get a decent out of court settlement. Southampton may need to hold back some of their promotion riches in reserve, which then affects recruitment and kills their survival chances before they've even started.

I should have said, it was more a poo pooing of Simon Jordan being asked what he would do and he said he would be right onto the Southampton chairman now asking for money in exchange for dropping the case. Talksport football finance/rules matey pointed out its a disciplinary issue between the EFL and Southampton right now so SJ's suggestion was not what can be done right now.

[Dirk Gently]

Just in - Southampton kicked out of play-offs and also docked four points.

All good stuff - EFL showing they have a spine shocker!

[windermereROYAL]

Southampton chucked out of the play-offs appeal pending, plus a 4 point deduction next season.

[Double C]

Efl>prem

[Dirk Gently]

Southampton have the right to appeal and the commission aims to resolve any appeal by the end of Wednesday

[AthleticoSpizz]

Southampton chucked out of the play-offs appeal pending, plus a 4 point deduction next season.

They’re taking to the streets celebrating in Portsmouth tonight

[windermereROYAL]

Fcuk em, hope they lose the appeal. I`d imagine many fans have already bought tickets. quite a tight schedule to sell to boro fans.

I`m off to their forum.

[Dirk Gently]

Less than three days to sell and distribute tickets sounds like a whole lot of fun for those involved.

[Scutterbucketz]

Incredible scenes!

Personally I think it’s a bit heavy handed, but it’s Southampton so fukk em. I feel sorry for that lad. That’s his career fukked.

[Scutterbucketz]

Less than three days to sell and distribute tickets sounds like a whole lot of fun for those involved.

A nice headache for them.

[Scutterbucketz]

Anyone got a link to the Southampton forum? I don’t usually like to revel in other people misery, but I’ll make an exception with this one.

Between the ghillie suits and the “we spy where we want” chants It’s just too funny.

[windermereROYAL]

Reading their forum, apparently they spied on Oxford and Ipswich too.

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/ ... re-out!/#9

[genome]

Be funny if Boro don’t go up now though

Feel for Hull, they’ve not been able to train at all knowing who their opposition is

[Pepe the Horseman]

Be funny if Boro don’t go up now though

Feel for Hull, they’ve not been able to train at all knowing who their opposition is

Na, think it'll be funnier if Boro do go up, so Hull can be pissed of at the EFL too.

[genome]

Wonder if their manager will get the boot (assuming it was widespread knowledge)

[WestYorksRoyal]

Wonder if their manager will get the boot (assuming it was widespread knowledge)

His career is done. Shame upon the club, known cheat. You can come back from a losing streak....

[Winston Biscuit]

Some enjoyable headloss going on on that Southampton forum

[windermereROYAL]

Some enjoyable headloss going on on that Southampton forum

This one made me laugh, I think you`ll find they are mate.

So we appeal anyway. Having our whole season stolen is ridiculous.Who do the EFL think they are ? They are not the bosses.

[Winston Biscuit]

Oh mate