Match Day Thread Play Off Final. Hull City v Boro

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City win?

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The bit in the Athletic article claiming that Southampton players are considering suing their own club in a class action over lost earnings is gob smacking. They couldn't could they?
 
Why are we not automatically promoted theres literally zero other fair outcome, Boro have no right to the final whatsoever.
Because no final causes more of a headache for the efl. Realistically the game should’ve gone ahead and a proper verdict could’ve been reached afterwards. The 1990 precedent was there if needed. Gibson got his way though, like he usually does
 
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The bit in the Athletic article claiming that Southampton players are considering suing their own club in a class action over lost earnings is gob smacking. They couldn't could they?
If they genuinely didn't know, then I absolutely think they should. But so should Southampton fans. Their whole season has basically proved a fake. I'd want all my pre-booked Wembley stuff refunded as a minimum, then tickets and travel for both legs of the play-offs, and possibly even season ticket refunds.
 
Because no final causes more of a headache for the efl. Realistically the game should’ve gone ahead and a proper verdict could’ve been reached afterwards. The 1990 precedent was there if needed. Gibson got his way though, like he usually does
**** the EFL. Saints cheated, if they are expelled there’s one team left who haven’t lost. Boro got beat like half the sides did that Saints spied on. Why are they the only ****ing outfit with a second chance, if they win then holy **** **** storm, I’d even debate pulling out and say stuff your ****ing final.
 
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New statement from Southampton re the appeal. It is incredibly condescending towards us, in effect, because it just assumes they were going to win if they'd been allowed to play. They're in cloud cuckoo land.

"
A statement from Phil Parsons, Chief Executive, Southampton Football Club.

We have appealed yesterday's decision by the Independent Disciplinary Commission to expel Southampton Football Club from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs, and to impose a four-point deduction for the 2026/27 season. Before turning to that appeal, I want to address our supporters, our players, and the wider football community directly and without equivocation.

What happened was wrong. The club has admitted breaches of EFL Regulations 3.4 and 127. We are sorry to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the Southampton supporters whose extraordinary loyalty and support this season deserved better from the club.

We have provided our full co-operation to the EFL's investigation and disciplinary process. Following the appeal, we will also be writing to the EFL to volunteer our participation in a working group on the practical application and enforcement of Regulation 127 across the Championship. Contrition without change is hollow, and we intend to demonstrate change.

On the appeal itself: we accept that there should be a sanction. What we cannot accept is a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence. Whereas Leeds United was fined £200,000 for a similar offence, Southampton has been denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million and one which means so much to our staff, players and supporters.

We believe the financial consequence of yesterday's ruling makes it, by a very considerable distance, the largest penalty ever imposed on an English football club. Luton Town's 30-point deduction in 2008/09 — to date the most severe sporting sanction in the English game — was levied against a club already in League Two, with no comparable revenue at stake. Derby County's 21-point deduction in 2021 cost them their Championship status. Everton's eventual six-point deduction in 2023/24 followed losses of £124.5 million, a figure dwarfed by what has been taken from Southampton in a single afternoon. The largest financial penalty ever levied by the Premier League, against Chelsea in March of this year, was £10.75 million, and was accompanied by no sporting sanction whatsoever despite involving £47.5 million in undisclosed payments over seven years.

We say this not to minimise what occurred at this club, which we have accepted was wrong. We say it because proportionality is itself a principle of natural justice. The Commission was entitled to impose a sanction. It was not, we will argue, entitled to impose one that is manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game.

Our appeal will be heard today, and we will provide a further update in due course."
 
I just don't understand the kick-off time thing at all

Why not just set it at 3 pm despite who was playing in the final
and stop ****ing around with it

It wasn't a problem to do that for League 1 or 2
yeah saying if its 2 northern teams bring it earlier so can get trains back easier and stuff but if we where the only northern team, **** it we can get back late and people can scramble for the trains...
 
The full report into the scandal is expected to confirm Eckert admitted responsibility for secretly watching opposition teams in training, something that is common practise in his native Germany.

Sources close to Saints owner Dragan Solak say the Serbian will be 'furious' with Eckert for bringing the club's name into disrepute and costing them a shot at the £200m Wembley showdown for a place in the Premier League.

As well as potentially losing his job, Eckert and sporting director Johannes Spors, who also learned his trade in Germany, are likely to come under investigation from the FA and risk potential suspensions.

There is also a fear among the Southampton hierarchy that sponsors will pull out of deals for not wanting to be associated with a club who have admitted cheating.
If it's common practice why was salt camouflaged? Why run?
 
Not sure if this has been posted.

Hull City not happy with decision

Hull City aren’t happy with this decision and are taking legal advice. The club believe that given one of the two clubs in the final has been disqualified, that the other should be awarded the win.

Acun Ilıcalı, Hull City owner, has been quoted as Asist Analiz as saying: “Under normal circumstances, two teams have reached the final and one has been disqualified. Our lawyers’ opinion is that we should go directly to the Premier League, but they’re examining it right now. We can’t say anything definitive. It’s a bit of a messy situation.

“We had been preparing for Southampton for 10 days. All the planning, analysis, and work was focused on them. Now, with the days left until the final, the opponent has changed. Tomorrow the players are off, Thursday is the last serious training session. We’ll prepare for the new opponent with 1 training session.”
 
Im interested to know how Southampton feel they have a case against disproportionate punishment. Expulsion from the play offs for the Boro offence, and 2 point deduction for each game found guilty of spying in.

I’d say that’s about fair with the points deduction and will certainly act as a deterrent to all other EFL teams in the future. I wouldn’t be surprised if more comes out of the wash over the summer in terms of teams coming forward with their own case
I’d have thought 3 points per game would have been logical but hey ho.
 
The bit in the Athletic article claiming that Southampton players are considering suing their own club in a class action over lost earnings is gob smacking. They couldn't could they?
Would the players really not have known either?
If this happened more than once - the coaching staff/analysts will speak to players around the training ground.