The Championship

[Sausage Roll]

Wow - Southampton expelled from playoffs and deducted four points for next season and Middlesbrough reinstated.

They spied on other teams during the season too.

Pending an appeal which is to be heard tomorrow.

What’s the point in appealing if they’ve already admitted. It’s like our appeal. Pointless

Presume the appeal will be against the severity of the punishment.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Its one hell of a decision. I think there are grounds for saying it’s disproportionate, effectively a £110m fine. Willing to bet its harsher than Man City will ever get.

Boro have 3 days to prepare for a play off final and sell 35K tickets.

[Sausage Roll]

Its one hell of a decision. I think there are grounds for saying it’s disproportionate, effectively a £110m fine. Willing to bet its harsher than Man City will ever get.

Boro have 3 days to prepare for a play off final and sell 35K tickets.

Hull are definitely the winners here. 

But Southampton knew the rules and broke them intentionally. And four times I think it was over the season. That's pretty dumb.

[Paplane]

The appeal hearing is tomorrow so it could all change in 24 hours. Feel for Hull not knowing who'll they'll be playing and Boro players training for a game that might not happen.

[Portsmouth Reef]

BBC News Southampton thrown out of the playoffs. Bugger. No chance of Haydn Hackney if Middlesborough go up.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Its one hell of a decision. I think there are grounds for saying it’s disproportionate, effectively a £110m fine. Willing to bet its harsher than Man City will ever get.

Boro have 3 days to prepare for a play off final and sell 35K tickets.

Hull are definitely the winners here. 

But Southampton knew the rules and broke them intentionally. And four times I think it was over the season. That's pretty dumb.

Have a feeling a few people at the club will have been posted their P45s this week. They’ll probably find they won’t work in football again.

[wassy04]

Its one hell of a decision. I think there are grounds for saying it’s disproportionate, effectively a £110m fine. Willing to bet its harsher than Man City will ever get.

Boro have 3 days to prepare for a play off final and sell 35K tickets.

Hull are definitely the winners here. 

But Southampton knew the rules and broke them intentionally. And four times I think it was over the season. That's pretty dumb.

4 times there was evidence, I'd imagine it happened more.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Pompey X post. Ouch!

[Sausage Roll]

Telegraph reporting that Saints' manager has admitted responsibility for them spying on opponents. Said he didn't realise it was outlawed in the EFL and that it happens regularly overseas.

[wassy04]

Telegraph reporting that Saints' manager has admitted responsibility for them spying on opponents. Said he didn't realise it was outlawed in the EFL and that it happens regularly overseas.

Pretty much what Bielsa said too.

[Sausage Roll]

Not seen the whole Telegraph article but the bits I've seen also say that Southampton staff were sharing jokes about spying during the season and mocking up pictures of their analyst in camo gear.

Can't see that helping their appeal much.

[Sausage Roll]

Southampton seem confident their appeal will be successful. I hope not. They've broken the rules at least three times and clearly knew they'd done it. At best they might get the points deduction for next season knocked off but that should be it - they don't deserve to be reinstated for Saturday.