Southampton ‘ Spying Scandal Was ‘Ordered By Coach, Says Panel

An independent disciplinary panel has revealed that Southampton’s spying on rival clubs was directly authorised by head coach Tonda Eckert, describing it as a “contrived and determined plan from the top down to gain a competitive advantage.”

The panel also condemned the club’s “deplorable approach in its use of junior members of staff” to carry out the covert surveillance.

As a result, Southampton were expelled from the Championship play-offs after admitting to watching opponents’ training sessions.

They have also been docked four points in next season’s Championship.

The English Football League has now published written reasons for the panel’s findings.

Eckert “accepted that he had specifically authorised the observations,” which the panel said “seriously violated” the fairness of the competition, explaining why such a severe punishment was imposed.

Alongside expulsion and the points deduction, Southampton received a formal reprimand.

The panel stressed this was not only due to the spying on other teams, but “because of the way in which junior members of staff were put under pressure to carry out activities which they felt were morally wrong.”

The case only came to light when a junior staff member was caught secretly watching Middlesbrough at their training ground.

Southampton admitted to spying on three rivals: Oxford United and Ipswich Town earlier in the season, and then Middlesbrough before the first leg of the play-off semi-finals.

Their expulsion meant Middlesbrough whom Southampton had beaten in the semi-final were reinstated. Boro will now face Hull City in Saturday’s final for a place in the Premier League.

The club lost an appeal against the decision.

In its initial response to the EFL, Southampton claimed the conduct was not part of the club’s culture at St Mary’s and that no video had been captured, transmitted, shared, or analysed.

The panel said Southampton later admitted this was untrue, stating that “the opposite was the case.”