Match Day Thread Play Off Final. Hull City v Boro

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McGregor HU5 said:
Mentally we’re massively up against it now, they’ll be buoyed by the news of a second bite of the cherry and we’re having to mentally adjust everything at the 11th hour. The tiny margins which make the difference at the elite level all stacked against us in the biggest game of the EFL calendar.
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I don't agree. Boro only called their players back on Monday morning for training and I would have thought the mood around the place would have been, 'we should be on holiday'. I doubt if any of them seriously thought they would be playing us on Saturday at Wembley.
So I think this is as much a major surprise to them as it is to Southampton, and of course they will be buoyed up at training in the morning, but we have been preparing for a Final since we beat Millwall last week.
We still have the edge but we have now lost the general public's underdog and sympathy tag which I think might have gone in our favour if we'd have been playing Southampton.
Personally I'd have sooner played Saints, but then again they are in, or were in, a tremendous run of form, whereas Boro have been on the slide.
Its still a shock decision.
And I glad I'm not a Southampton fan tonight.
 
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brownbagtiger said:
If Soton appeal then surely there’s no way the match can happen on Saturday, with none of the logistics sorted.

The only way it could go ahead is if the Cheats put their hands up and don’t take it any further. With a £200m prize at stakes, I can’t see any of the affected clubs’ owners walking away without a fight.
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It’s systemic cheating. They don’t have a leg to stand on. If they shout too much they could end up with a bigger points deduction.
 
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  • Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs for unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training sessions.
  • The club admitted to multiple breaches of Football League regulations, including observing opponents' training within 72 hours of a match.
  • As a consequence, Middlesbrough, who Southampton had beaten in the semi-finals, will now face Hull City in the final at Wembley.
  • An independent disciplinary commission also imposed a four-point deduction on Southampton, which will apply to next season’s Championship.
  • Southampton were found guilty of violating EFL Regulation 3.4, requiring clubs to act with good faith, and EFL Regulation 127, forbidding observation of training close to a match.
 
THE EXCLUSIVE 10% said:
Disadvantages galore for us. Boro knew who they would be playing and will have had plenty of time be prepared. We have to start again with less time Praise for kicking Southampton out, showing some real balls but shouldn’t have taken so long, especially as they have admitted the offense.
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But we still have more than 72 hours….the magic number that all this fuss is about.
 
tigermaul said:
Some of us did say early on that would be the outcome. I suspect they WON’T appeal. They will be worried now about being relegated if the EFL levy further charges.
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They have appealed, with the decision on the appeal to be given tomorrow via three different adjudicators. Could change back to Southampton yet, though with the fact they've admitted it I can't see it being successful.
 
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Trumpton Tiger. said:
I don't agree. Boro only called their players back on Monday morning for training and I would have thought the mood around the place would have been, 'we should be on holiday'. I doubt if any of them seriously thought they would be playing us on Saturday at Wembley.
So I think this is as much a major surprise to them as it is to Southampton, and of course they will be buoyed up at training in the morning, but we have been preparing for a Final since we beat Millwall last week.
We still have the edge but we have now lost the general public's underdog and sympathy tag which I think might have gone in our favour if we'd have been playing Southampton.
Personally I'd have sooner played Saints, but then again they are in, or were in, a tremendous run of form, whereas Boro have been on the slide.
Its still a shock decision.
And I glad I'm not a Southampton fan tonight.
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You might well be right tbh, I was thinking it’s almost a free hit for them this final now as they were beaten over two legs. Like you say we’ve been prepping for two weeks and you’d like to think we had half an eye on tactics for potentially playing Boro.
 
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The EFL released the following statement this evening.​

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, alongside a reprimand in respect of all the charges.

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.

Southampton was first charged on Friday 8 May, with further charges issued on Sunday 17 May in relation to additional breaches during the 2025/26 season. Those additional charges arose from matters identified after the initial proceedings involving Middlesbrough were initiated.

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. The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026.

Southampton has a right to appeal the Commission’s decision in accordance with EFL Regulations and the parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May. Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture.

The EFL is now in discussion with all three Clubs regarding the implications of today’s decision and will make a further announcement in due course.

The Commission’s full written reasons will also be published in due course.
 
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Blaknamberblood said:
Interesting insight from the northern reporter who has been at Middlesbrough since they got beat, flew back from the gane then went in the day after for a debrief on the season, given the weekend off, Monday in for a full training session more in hope then expectation, the given day off today, seems like they didn't expect another go, and the prep towards a game with City has been minimal to say the least. Can only hope their heads aren't in it, and we remain professional and totally on it.
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Sergej had the team in at the end of last week and they did recovery training.
This week it’s match preparation after the weekend off.
So not much of an issue for good coaching staff.
 
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