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EFL Playoffs 25/26

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Comments

  • I think that whoever did the spying will become the sacrificial lamb. Whether or not he was acting under orders from above, he will fall on his sword, and admit he did it off his own back.
    He will lose his job, Southampton will get a rap on the knuckles, and the ‘guilty’ chap will be looked after by the club when all the dust has settled.
    Call me a cynic, but Southampton know there is just too much at stake for them to come clean.
    Pretty obvious there were orders from above. There's no way some guy decided to drive 5 hours to Middlesbrough and record their training unless he was told to.
    On TalkSport they are reporting that Boro are aware of two other clubs spied on by Saints this season. Also that the guy was linked directly on the internet to Southampton at the time. 
    I wonder whether the EFL can obtain phone and data records to substantiate this?
    Be a different situation if it can be proved that the manager was aware of it or even sanctioned it?
  • DamoNorthStand
    DamoNorthStand Posts: 12,236
    I think that whoever did the spying will become the sacrificial lamb. Whether or not he was acting under orders from above, he will fall on his sword, and admit he did it off his own back.
    He will lose his job, Southampton will get a rap on the knuckles, and the ‘guilty’ chap will be looked after by the club when all the dust has settled.
    Call me a cynic, but Southampton know there is just too much at stake for them to come clean.
    Pretty obvious there were orders from above. There's no way some guy decided to drive 5 hours to Middlesbrough and record their training unless he was told to.
    On TalkSport they are reporting that Boro are aware of two other clubs spied on by Saints this season. Also that the guy was linked directly on the internet to Southampton at the time. 
    I wonder whether the EFL can obtain phone and data records to substantiate this?
    Be a different situation if it can be proved that the manager was aware of it or even sanctioned it?

    Would have been a pretty short report if it were us.
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 30,124

  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 30,124

  • DamoNorthStand
    DamoNorthStand Posts: 12,236
    I cant see how they cant be punished for this and thrown out the play offs..... but how do you remedy it? Do you just put boro through to the final, do you promote Wrexham into the play offs?

    Point being i dont see how this can be sorted out fairly.....
  • Hartleypete
    Hartleypete Posts: 4,799
    Imho they should be kicked out and Boro put through to the final, also given points deduction for next season.
  • shirty5
    shirty5 Posts: 19,808

  • Laddick01
    Laddick01 Posts: 7,835
    Tough one to call. How much difference is an intern with a camera making to the outcome? 

    Probably not loads. 

    Wouldn’t mind them being thrown out the playoffs as a matter of principle. However, I don’t think the EFL have the balls to do that. 



  • sam3110
    sam3110 Posts: 23,068
    It'll be a fine I reckon
  • sirjohnhumphrey
    sirjohnhumphrey Posts: 1,928
    The point is that they did it to gain an advantage. Whether it contributed to the overall result is irrelevant. What equipment used is irrelevant. It was done to gain an advantage and needs to be dealt with in a way that benefits Middlesboro. A fine isn’t a satisfactory solution.
    Gibson has hired a top top lawyer. Apparently Gibson also owns the golf club where the guy bought a coffee by card therefore leaving a trace. 
    I think Southampton have acted without any class in this, including their manager and need to face the sternest sanction.

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  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 71,855
    The point is that they did it to gain an advantage. Whether it contributed to the overall result is irrelevant. What equipment used is irrelevant. It was done to gain an advantage and needs to be dealt with in a way that benefits Middlesboro. A fine isn’t a satisfactory solution.

    Especially when the playoff semi final games were so close.

    If Soton had won both games comfortably and were obviously the much better team, then leaving aside rights and wrongs Soton could at least argue it probably didn't make a difference, but seeing that extra time was needed to separate the teams, the tiny benefit from spying could gave made a real difference to the result.
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 18,502
    One thing I hope doesn’t happen is the intern being vilified. Southampton (and lots of football clubs!) pay their interns poorly and the lad was clearly working under instructions trying to get his foot in the door of a very competitive industry. I’m sure lots of us would or did bend rules here and there to attempt to get somewhere in the world 
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 30,124

  • letthegoodtimesroll
    letthegoodtimesroll Posts: 11,315
    sam3110 said:
    It'll be a fine I reckon
    Winning at Wembley would be worth £200 million. It would have to be a massive fine if that is all the EFL does
  • eastterrace6168
    eastterrace6168 Posts: 26,292
    sam3110 said:
    It'll be a fine I reckon
    Winning at Wembley would be worth £200 million. It would have to be a massive fine if that is all the EFL does
    Take the whole bloody lot off 'em...gits!!
  • jimmymelrose
    jimmymelrose Posts: 10,211
    robroy said:
    Hull are the weaker team out the two for next season, so I’m gonna go for Soton to go up. Gets rid of one of the big boys. 
    Doesn’t make any difference to us, unless you think that we’ll be challenging for promotion. 

    We need different teams to go up and down otherwise in the long term The Premier League becomes more closed,  and in the end they could decrease the number of promotion places.
  • jimmymelrose
    jimmymelrose Posts: 10,211
    What did the EFL do with Bielsa and Leeds in the end when they spied on Derby?
    200k fine I believe.
    Which Bielsa paid out of his own salary. 
  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 71,855
    Tanto on the bench again tonight.
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 66,201

  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 18,502
    Barry scores for Stockport, he was effectively only signed for the Play Offs 

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  • SDAddick
    SDAddick Posts: 14,835
    Watching this match reminds me of the gulf in quality between League One and the Championship, and really highlights how well we did to stay up this season as the team that went up via the Playoffs. More to come from us hopefully, but the gulf in quality between the 3-6 in the two leagues is pretty massive. I'm so glad we're in the Championship, I hope we keep it that way for some time to come.
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 66,201
    Stockport 2-0 (3-0) up after 27 mins
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 18,502
    That feels like tie over 
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 66,201
    Probably goes down as a Piergianni OG…
  • ArmchairAddick
    ArmchairAddick Posts: 616
    Think we can say Stockport are through then.  Probably deserved after that offside goal going against them last year.  Who was it scored that again?
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 66,201
    Shot was going wide and he’s headed it into the top corner!
  • valleynick66
    valleynick66 Posts: 5,415
    fenaddick said:
    One thing I hope doesn’t happen is the intern being vilified. Southampton (and lots of football clubs!) pay their interns poorly and the lad was clearly working under instructions trying to get his foot in the door of a very competitive industry. I’m sure lots of us would or did bend rules here and there to attempt to get somewhere in the world 
    How poorly paid are we talking?

    Is this an assumption or is the intern salary known?
  • SDAddick
    SDAddick Posts: 14,835
    Who was it that kept Edun out of the side for us? Sess and someone else? He's looked good at Peterbrough and now Stockport whenever I've seen him since he left us, but felt like he barely got a chance when playing for us. Scores the odd goal from LB as well.
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 18,502
    fenaddick said:
    One thing I hope doesn’t happen is the intern being vilified. Southampton (and lots of football clubs!) pay their interns poorly and the lad was clearly working under instructions trying to get his foot in the door of a very competitive industry. I’m sure lots of us would or did bend rules here and there to attempt to get somewhere in the world 
    How poorly paid are we talking?

    Is this an assumption or is the intern salary known?
    Reportedly £6k a year, get away with it by calling it a work placement 

    https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Southampton-Football-Club-Work-Placement-Student-Salaries-E1380771_D_KO26,48.htm