Ste

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@BBCSport And despite all the odds and adversity on so many levels before and during the game, Mexico fans, FIFA, refs, history, the right team won fair and square. England winning was a victory for fairness, sticking to the rules, true grit, never giving up, winning ugly etc

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@Footballtweet The issue is, it's not a clear and obvious error and the decision to go to VAR plus it was not in the spirit of the whole tournament where VARhas not interfeared was a disgrace FIFA trying to help Mexico

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@matthewdmarsden What's more corrupt is the authorities doing very little to the Mexico fans, a bunch of rats, who tried to disrupt the Eng players sleep causing a massive disturbance outside their hotel, exemplifies Mexican authorities stood and watched the masses, why didn't they break it up🐀

[Dan @DanielDaws1]

Harwood-Bellis may as well move to the Tibetan mountains to live a life of solitude because the daft cunt is going to be absolutely ripped to shreds for the rest of his playing days in this country 🤣

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@SaintsExtra @talkSPORT Haha Harwood Bellis has shown no class and a complete lack of respect to Boro, he deserves what he gets. The little rat!

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@BenKirkSFC No, your club cheated, should have considered the consequences if they are caught, its all on your chairman and manager

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Anyone with any knowledge of English football history will know that it is ridiculous for Southampton’s chief executive, Phil Parsons, to claim that their expulsion from the Championship play-offs is a bigger punishment than the 30-point deduction imposed on Luton Town in 2008 which led to relegation and almost throttled the life out of the club. Absolutely no comparison and completely weakens Southampton’s attempted argument that being thrown out of the play-offs is “manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game”.

There is some good stuff in Parsons’ statement: accepting culpability for Spygate, apologising to those clubs they spied on and apologising to their fans “whose extraordinary loyalty and support this season deserved better from the club”. Well said. But… the rules changed since Leeds United’s “similar offence” in 2019, there is no right to the £200m (it’s not a fine), and to play the whataboutery game and make the comparison with the Hatters is, fittingly, mad. Southampton’s reputation is certainly damaged but at least their very existence is not at risk. #SaintsFC #LTFC

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Southampton kicked out of Championship play-off final for spying. Correct decision, especially as it transpires they spied on three clubs in total. This is about more than a bloke standing behind a tree with an iPhone. It’s about how seriously the game should take cheating. EFL independent disciplinary commission have struck a blow for fair play, for integrity, for the need for respect between clubs, for coaches to have an expectation of privacy in training. 25% of goals scored in the Championship this season were from set-pieces. Clubs practised them. Understandably, coaches don’t want their plans revealed. EFL sending a strong message with this punishment. 

Spygate 2 different from Spygate 1. Rules tightened and punishments introduced since Leeds United’s offence. Appeals, of course. It’s tough for Southampton fans to be denied the trip to Wembley and the chance of a return to the Premier League. It’s particularly tough that many have forked out for tickets, travel and accommodation. Their frustration and anger should be directed at their club. Southampton should recompense fans. It’s not the fans’ fault. 

The stupidity in all this is that Southampton would probably have beaten Boro anyway. Better team, stronger bench. But this is so damning… “Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match,” says EFL. “The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026.” So the punishment is proportionate. It should act as a deterrent. Honesty matters.

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@Boro Can't believe they have done the right thing!! Unlucky Southampton, Not!

[Middlesbrough FC @Boro]

A statement from MFC:

Middlesbrough Football Club welcomes the outcome of today’s Disciplinary Commission hearing.

We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct.

As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.

Ticket information for our supporters will be available shortly.

[Rogue Robin @TalkWurzel]

Last word on Southampton. I haven’t seen a single Southampton fan say they’re embarrassed by the clubs behaviour. That to me says everything about the club. As fans, we can’t control what happens from the inside, but the fans are the voice. Your voice is loud and clear. You condone cheating (spying, diving to try and con the ref, ballboy shithousery (cheating again) and the mocking of someone’s speech impediment). Zero remorse. All I’m seeing is “proud”. As a fanbase you should be absolutely ashamed of your club. Absolutely ashamed. No wonder you’re called the Scummers and you have the history you do.
#Southampton #Sfc #SouthamptonFootballClub #portsmouth

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@Benjaminbloom Expel them or anul the first leg and award it as 3-0 to Boro, so Boro win 4-2 on agg

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@talkSPORT That's your opinion but not the right minded majority of fair people

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Southampton have always been a club that did things the right way. Attractive football, long history, loyal and vocal support, important community department, good atmosphere at the Dell and St Mary’s, develop talent, even a great cat at the training ground. A sound club. A touch of class. So as they head to Wembley, and deservedly so as they were better than Boro on the night, perhaps those who run the club and run the football side consider how to restore the club’s reputation. 

Because a club who many neutrals had a soft spot for risk becoming hard to like. Some Southampton fans will not worry about what others think of them. But they should. They are currently associated with cheating - Spygate - and for allegations of discriminatory language on the pitch (which have yet to be proven). That’s not what Southampton are about. 

Their head coach, Tonda Eckert, rightly earned plenty of praise for his inspirational work this season but risks coming across as charmless at times. Interesting that Boro’s coach, Kim Hellberg, in his Sky Sports interview, congratulated Southampton players and supporters but not their coach.

Southampton have gained a shot at the Premier League - any Spygate sanctions permitting - but lost some respect. Saints’ board and Eckert now have to work out how to restore that good reputation. And pray that the independent disciplinary commission does not punish them severely and swiftly for Spygate. As many people want them to. #SaintsFC #SOUMID

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@SouthamptonFC Hmm I'm not so sure about that!!!

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@SkyFootball Are you sure now, hasn't been confirmed yet by @EFL

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@SkyBetChamp @SouthamptonFC @SkyBet Or are they!? Come on @efl do you have the balls to make the right and proper decision. 3 nil win to Boro for first leg 4 -2 on agg to Boro

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@AlfieHouseEcho What this has to do with your cheating 30 years later is anyone's guess! It's coming out now that Southampton has been spying for some time so be a journalist and dig around that, you absolute bellend

[Ste @StevenR51081]

@ChampionshpTalk Its a foul and then as a result he falls on the ball, end of

[Middlesbrough FC @Boro]

Hayden Hackney has been named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Season 🥇

Huge congrats to one of our own. Well deserved, Hayden 👏