An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs after the Club admitted to multiple breaches of EFL Regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other Clubs’ training.
In addition, the Club has received a four-point deduction that will be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table.
The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 Play-Offs and will proceed to the Play-Off Final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.
📘 https://t.co/kGIhl4GksL
The biggest time-wasters in football now are not the players but some of the officials implementing VAR. Turf Moor confirmed that. Almost three minutes to decide that Anthony was offside. Right decision but a nonsense it took so long to establish. Sort out semi-automated. Almost five minutes to decide that Barnes had handled. Not even sure it was the right decision anyway.
The unacceptable, unconscionable amount of time taken damages the game and alienates the fans, without whom there is no game. PGMO has to improve. It claims it is speeding up decision-making and then delivers this desecration of a great football game between Burnley and Brentford with delays.
PGMO use of the technology has to be better. And quicker. VAR is here to stay - IFAB underlined that in Cardiff on Saturday - so let’s make it work for the game of football not against. Improve standard of officiating - on-field and at Stockley Park. Invest even more in developing good officials. Speed up the process - and if that means a time limit on decisions then do it.
Don’t chase perfection; just prevent injustice. PGMO has forgotten Clear and Obvious only. PGMO has forgotten the game is about passionate match-goers not pedantic, slow-moving law-enforcers. #BURBRE
Really happy the individual referee mistakes in the buildup to our two disallowed goals were so “clear and obvious” that not a single Brentford player called for them.
Effective system you’ve got there, @premierleague#TwitterClarets
What a performance second half. There is nothing but praise for Parker and the players in that regard.
I am seriously speechless for the Video Assistant Referee today. Absolutely outrageous.
#TwitterClarets
@BurnleyOfficial@BurnleyFCWomen Who took photographs at the match yesterday, he was an official photographer? He got one of me and my little girl and I’d love to see it!
The last ten minutes of Celebrity Traitors is maybe the best ten minutes of television every to have existed in the entire history of time. HOLY SHIT!!!!!!