Middlesbrough play for Premier League promotion, Southampton expelled for spying

The team from the south of England will continue to play in the lower league next year, and will start the season with minus four points, while Middlesbrough will go to the play-off final where they will play against Hull on Saturday for a place in the English elite.

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Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Instead of a final at Wembley, a potential £200 million win and a return to the Premier League, another difficult year awaits Southampton.

The club from the south of England has been thrown out of the Championship play-offs after being found guilty of spying and illegally filming an opponent's training session in the Middlesbrough semi-final.

This means that they will play in a lower league next year as well, and will start the season with minus four points, while Middlesbrough will go to the play-off final where they will play against Hull on Saturday for a place in the English elite.

The Riverside team was defeated in the semi-finals by Southampton 2-1.

The Saints, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming Oxford United training sessions in December and Ipswich in April during the regular season.

"An independent disciplinary panel has expelled Southampton after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL rules relating to the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training sessions," the English Football League said in a statement, adding:

"Southampton have admitted breaching rules which prohibit watching another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match."

The EFL confirmed that Southampton can appeal the decision and that "the parties are working to have any appeal resolved on Wednesday".

"Depending on the outcome, there could be additional changes regarding Saturday's match," the statement said.

Middlesbrough have sought to have Southampton expelled after their training session was filmed ahead of the first leg of their play-off semi-final, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

The club welcomed this decision.

"We believe this sends a clear message for the future of our game when it comes to sporting integrity and conduct. We are now focused on the game against Hull at Wembley," Boro announced.

Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season, and after a poor start, they had an atomic finish during which they did not lose a single one of their 19 league games, reaching the playoffs.

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