Leeds United have been drawn into Southampton’s escalating ‘spygate’ controversy, as the Saints make their case to reverse their expulsion from the Championship play-off final.
It emerged on Tuesday that Southampton had been thrown out of the Wembley clash after they confessed to spying on three teams.
Middlesbrough are set to take their place in the play-off final against Hull City on Saturday, but the Saints are yet to give up, meaning there might be another twist in the tale.
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Leeds United cited as Southampton make their case
According to Simon Stone of the BBC, Southampton lawyers intended to work overnight on Tuesday to appeal the EFL’s decision as soon as possible.
The Hampshire-based club firmly believe the punishment is ‘exceptionally excessive’, pointing to Leeds United as a key precedent in making their case.
In 2019, the Elland Road outfit were fined £200,000 after being found guilty of spying on Derby County during Marcelo Bielsa’s reign.
Meanwhile, the Saints are confident their case is strong enough to reverse Tuesday’s decision, with chief executive Phil Parsons relaying the same to club staff.
The overnight legal work centres on the precise reasons for the EFL’s decision, which Southampton’s lawyers were still receiving when they began building their appeal.
All parties are keen to resolve the issue on Wednesday, as they push to move ahead with the final on Saturday.
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What happens next
With the Championship play-off final scheduled on Saturday, the timeline for a decision is tight, but Southampton’s confidence appears genuine.
It is worth noting that there was no specific rule against spying on an opponent when Leeds United were caught watching Derby’s training seven years ago.
It was that incident that prompted the EFL to introduce Regulation 127, which makes it punishable for teams to watch an opponent in the 72 hours before they play each other.
Nevertheless, for the Yorkshire-based club, being cited in another club’s high-profile disciplinary case is an unwanted reminder of their spygate controversy.
The situation remains fluid, but as things stand, Southampton believe they have a strong case.
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