Other Games 2025-26

[Dave]

...a bigger points deduction next season (10-12 points would be my target), with an agreement with the premier league that it will apply regardless of where they end up playing and a sizable fine might have made things simpler for everyone.

My guess is that they would have explored that as an option, but the Leicester precedent would suggest that the Premier League wouldn't go for it. As PWS says, even that isn't *really* a punishment.

The punishment handed out feels too harsh, but the only other thing that the EFL had in their arsenal (big fines) obviously wasn't harsh enough given the potential rewards for Southampton.

Guess the best thing to do is not cheat if you don't want to deal with the sanction.

[LeeB]

Why have Middlesbrough been given a pass to the play off final having lost the semi but Millwall haven't?

Beacuse they were they were directly victims of said spying, I guess. And Millwall are ******.

Oxford were directly the victims of spying so presumably by your logic they should be unrelegated at the expense of the next club above the dotted line who are…checks notes….. West Brom.

Middlesbrough caught the bloke doing it, while the tie was still alive, and then it looks like they've owned up to try and get some leniency and it's backfired.

And yes, I think it's absolutely right that Oxford gets awarded extra points as a result.

[PeterWithe]

Why have Middlesbrough been given a pass to the play off final having lost the semi but Millwall haven't?

Beacuse they were they were directly victims of said spying, I guess. And Millwall are ******.

Oxford were directly the victims of spying so presumably by your logic they should be unrelegated at the expense of the next club above the dotted line who are…checks notes….. West Brom.

As I started reading I thought your suggestion was a bit ridiculous, but as I got to the end it had certainly grown on me.

[paul_e]

...a bigger points deduction next season (10-12 points would be my target), with an agreement with the premier league that it will apply regardless of where they end up playing and a sizable fine might have made things simpler for everyone.

My guess is that they would have explored that as an option, but the Leicester precedent would suggest that the Premier League wouldn't go for it. As PWS says, even that isn't *really* a punishment.

The punishment handed out feels too harsh, but the only other thing that the EFL had in their arsenal (big fines) obviously wasn't harsh enough given the potential rewards for Southampton.

Guess the best thing to do is not cheat if you don't want to deal with the sanction.

Maybe, I just think this has created a situation almost everyone is going to be unhappy and think that something about this has had a negative impact on them.

They have had to rush it because of the unique circumstances of this coming out a few days before the play-offs started. They haven't took any points off during the season for it so no, I don't think any other team should suddenly be added who weren't in the play-offs. And no, I don't see why another team from the totally different side of the draw should be added instead of the opponents who were beaten, especially as that team were the main wronged club from this happening on the 12th.

They aren't the main wronged club though, they're one of 3 that have absolute proof and just happen to be the ones that reported it. This is why it's difficult, I know the 3 games that were definitely involved didn't really go in Southamptons favour but that could be a big part of why they were willing to give those 3. Obviously we can't replay all their games or even know which other games will have had some element of spying go on but the entire league are wronged by this and yet this decision means that only Boro are getting anything 'back'. If, for example, Hull lose the final and claim they had been preparing for Southampton and this messed with their plans are they goig to be happy?

There is no good answer for this but what they've done feels particularly heavy-handed to me and I think I'd have preferred the really big punishments to be aimed at staff rather than the club. I think that will happen though and I can imagine some incredible bans coming from the back of this, the manager in particular is surely looking at a couple of years away from the sport.

[cdbearsfan]

Sadly Oxford finished four points behind Albion and also won the game in question against Southampton so don't really have grounds to claim to stay up.

[Somniloquism]

The whole league are getting something back with Southampton not potentially escaping any punishment if they get promoted and stay up for a couple of seasons and earning hundreds of Millions. They are also getting something back if the 4 point deduction next season is applied, although it won't relegate them and could be rectified in two matches. But Boro are the main wronged club from this being found out on the 12th. Millwall are not as Southampton didn't need to spy on them prior to the first leg of the matches.

[LeeB]

Sadly Oxford finished four points behind Albion and also won the game in question against Southampton so don't really have grounds to claim to stay up.

And your point is?

[Toronto Villa]

The manager of Southampton, who was heralded for this incredible run of results now appears to be a right prick. His presss conferences, the complete lack of any accountability, no public apologies of any sort for what they have admitted to, by him or the club who must have known it was going on. They’ve fucked their fans completely over. I hope they are correctly compensated. The punishment is fitting. And I imagine the only reason Wrexham in 7th aren’t getting involved is the points gap to them and Southampton is too big. Had it been a point things might have gotten really interesting.

[cdbearsfan]

Sounds like the players are going to go to the PFA to claim financial retribution from lack of potential bonuses, too. What a state Southampton have got themselves in, the twats. If I was a Southampton fan and they didn't even bother to refund my travel, I would think about not bothering watching them again.

[PeterWithesShin]

Has a cup of coffee ever cost 150m and completely fucked a league up before.

[LeeS]

Has a cup of coffee ever cost 150m and completely fucked a league up before.

What is the story of the coffee? Was that something that was the giveaway or smoking gun? I must admit, I don’t really follow much football beyond the Villa

[PeterWithesShin]

Has a cup of coffee ever cost 150m and completely fucked a league up before.

What is the story of the coffee? Was that something that was the giveaway or smoking gun? I must admit, I don’t really follow much football beyond the Villa

The twat that was spying was buying coffee using his own credit/debit card which left a trail.

[cdbearsfan]

The perpetrator bought coffee in a shop near the training ground owned by the Boro chairman. So the card record is extra evidence that he was there.

[LeeS]

Has a cup of coffee ever cost 150m and completely fucked a league up before.

What is the story of the coffee? Was that something that was the giveaway or smoking gun? I must admit, I don’t really follow much football beyond the Villa

The twat that was spying was buying coffee using his own credit/debit card which left a trail.

Ahh thanks. He’d need a robusta defence to get off that one.

[PeterWithesShin]

Use a pre-paid card or pay cash, daft twat.