The Football Association has confirmed it has launched an investigation into Southampton relating to the ‘spygate’ scandal that saw them expelled from the Championship play-offs.
Southampton’s appeal against their expulsion and a four-point deduction for next season was dismissed on Wednesday, meaning Middlesbrough will instead face Hull City in the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.
The Saints admitted to spying on a Middlesbrough training session before the semi-final, with performance analysis intern Will Salt having been spotted at the Boro training ground. Southampton went on to win the semi-final 2-1 on aggregate but, after also conceding that they spied on training sessions for Oxford United and Ipswich Town, they were thrown out by the EFL.
Southampton appealed on the grounds that the punishment was “manifestly disproportionate”, but that claim was rejected by a League Arbitration Panel.
And on Thursday an FA spokesperson said: “We will now investigate and won’t comment further until we have assessed the evidence.”
Salt, Southampton manager Tonda Eckert and technical director Johannes Spors are among those expected to face FA disciplinary action and could receive bans.
Meanwhile, in a post on Instagram, Southampton winger Leo Scienza expressed his dismay at the episode.
“Disappointment, anger, sadness … It’s difficult to find the right words for what we’re all feeling right now,” he wrote.
“What has happened over the last days is heartbreaking.. for the club, for every player in this dressing room, and above all for our supporters. A moment like this should never end the way it did.
“I feel sorry for every football fan, as well as the players and supporters of Hull and Boro, who were caught up in all of this chaos too.
“We gave everything for this dream. Day after day, sacrifice after sacrifice, always believing we could bring this club back to where it belongs. For me, the dream of playing in the Premier League was something I fought for with everything I had. That’s why this pain cuts so deep.
“The hardest part is knowing how much our fans deserved this moment. You stood behind us all season with incredible passion, loyalty and belief. Even in the toughest moments, you carried us forward.
“Thank you for staying with us through everything, you definitely deserved better.”
