Middlesbrough is pushing for a sporting punishment, not financial recompense, in connection with the “Spygate” controversy involving their Championship playoff rivals Southampton.
The Teesside club is preparing both on and off the pitch for the possibility that their season extends beyond Tuesday’s second-leg semifinal at St Mary’s Stadium. Sources familiar with Boro’s strategy, speaking anonymously to The Athletic to protect relationships, indicated the club would gear up for the playoff final regardless of whether they win the tie against Southampton.
Boro head coach Kim Hellberg told his pre-match press conference on Monday that he “has a plan for every day up to the final” on May 23 regarding his players’ training schedule. Even if Boro lose the second leg after last Saturday’s goalless first game, the unresolved situation means Hellberg will bring his squad back to Teesside on Wednesday and await news from the English Football League’s independent disciplinary commission, which is investigating allegations of “unauthorised filming” at Boro’s training ground last Thursday.
Ordinarily, players from defeated semifinalists depart immediately for breaks and holidays, but Middlesbrough will fight their case and is willing to provide evidence to the commission when asked.
Legal matters of this magnitude take time. Boro will highlight issues such as player logistics and the difficulty of selling over 35,000 tickets to their fans for the final on Saturday week. The club must keep options open, aware that the commission’s verdict is unlikely before Tuesday’s final whistle. Should Southampton win the game, their supporters, manager Tonda Eckert, and players would celebrate on the pitch before preparing for the final, but the commission’s findings could nullify any victory.
Under EFL rule 92.2.12, the commission can order “any other sanction” it “may think fit,” which could include Southampton’s removal from the playoffs. A fine may seem a more likely outcome—as occurred when Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa ordered an analyst to observe a Derby County training session in 2019—but a source familiar with Middlesbrough’s thinking indicated to The Athletic that such a penalty would not be deemed appropriate by Boro.
Boro has yet to receive proof from other Championship clubs that Southampton—who have not lost in the league since January 17—had also spied on them.
Having described Southampton’s behavior as “cheating” last Saturday, Hellberg was eager to move on Monday. However, as an example of the potential advantage spying on opponents’ training can provide, Hellberg noted that his players had been practicing penalty kicks on Monday in case the second leg goes to a shoot-out, and they had also worked on the drill “last week.” Although Boro striker Tommy Conway lightened the mood by staring through a window as Hellberg spoke, pretending to hold binoculars, if Southampton were found to have footage of Boro players’ penalty practice, it would reinforce Hellberg’s opinion—expressed to BBC Tees—that this is “immoral.”
A member of Eckert’s backroom staff was seen observing Boro’s training last Thursday and, when confronted, ran off. On Friday, Southampton acknowledged the incident.
