Southampton have been thrown out of the Championship play-off final after admitting they spied on Middlesbrough's training session ahead of their semi-final clash. An independent disciplinary commission of the English Football League announced the expulsion on Tuesday, ruling that the club breached regulations by carrying out unauthorised filming of opponents' training sessions.
A member of Southampton's coaching staff was caught red-handed by Middlesbrough officials recording the team's training on his phone. The EFL confirmed that Southampton had also admitted to observing training sessions before matches against Oxford and Ipswich, compounding the breaches.
With Southampton gone, Middlesbrough have been reinstated into the final. They will now face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a shot at promotion to the Premier League, a prize worth an estimated £200 million in extra revenue.
Southampton will also lose four points next season as additional punishment. The club confirmed it intends to appeal the sanctions, and the EFL said the parties were working to schedule an appeal hearing for Wednesday. Any successful appeal could still change Saturday's fixture.
Middlesbrough issued a statement welcoming the decision. "We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct," the club said.
The expulsion caps a turbulent turn of events for Southampton, who were relegated from the Premier League last season but had clawed their way back into contention. The team had lost just once in their last 25 games before the semi-final, though they fell to Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-final. After a sluggish start to the season, Southampton surged into play-off contention when German manager Tonda Eckert took charge in November. Now, the future of his tenure at St. Mary's is in serious doubt.
The semi-final between the two clubs saw the first leg finish goalless before Southampton progressed 2-1 after extra-time in the second leg. That victory now counts for nothing.
The EFL will wait for Wednesday's appeal hearing before confirming final arrangements for Saturday's final.
