If Southampton win tonight does anyone believe the EFL would actually have the balls to kick them out?
It’ll be a fine.
It’ll be a fine.
Southampton v Boro - 2nd leg
- Thread starter bradymk2
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tigermaul
Well-Known Member
Yes. That's the official line. But I don't think that's the feeling within the Middlesbrough hierarchy, who will decide whether to pursue legal action against Southampton and the EFL. Unless Boro win, you can be sure it will be a mess.
tigermaul
Well-Known Member
I think Boro have the balls to legally contest anything short of disqualification or, say, awarding them a 3-0 retrospective walkover for the first leg, which will probably amount to the same thing.
Don’t see how that possibly plays out?
Southampton win.
Boro launch legal action.
Final is played in just over a week.
We win; how could a Boro legal challenge override our promotion?
Southampton win. Boro can’t be promoted as they didn’t play in the final.
I get Boro are pissed but if they lose tonight how could things proceed in a way that they get promotion?
efl must be praying for a Boro win. If not, then this will get messy. If Southampton win, then you can guarantee Boro will push for Southampton to be kicked out.
Then, if that happened, Southampton can appeal. Could there then be legal challenges?
Then, if that happened, Southampton can appeal. Could there then be legal challenges?
tigermaul
Well-Known Member
They could probably take out a legal injunction to prevent the play-off final going ahead until the matter is resolved to their satisfaction.
yeah any expulsion should have been sorted before tonight, cant mess about after
all a fuss over nout anyway, bit of spying, not been grooming kids, dont get the fuss myself
Agreed, I see no way that Southampton get thrown out, though the EFL and PL will obviously be hoping Boro win and the whole issue disappears.
No way Soton will be kicked out. Expelling Southampton would be wildly disproportionate, inconsistent with precedent, open to judicial review and civil action for damages. I think their lawyers would tear it apart. It would also be commercial suicide for the EFL by potentially destroying broadcast contracts/triggering compensation claims, destabilising the league and scaring sponsors. The EFL simply wouldn’t risk it.
I do think the EFL would prefer a Boro win though too as an easy fix. I wonder if that might permeate through into the refereeing tonight?
tigermaul
Well-Known Member
There is precedent. Swindon won the play-offs and were denied promotion for illegal payments to players.
Yep
Let’s face it we’ve had our man in Southampton spying on them for months
Ex army
He’s been wearing camouflage and hiding in the bushes with his binolceers for ages
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Southampton win and the distraction it will cause might be the best thing for us
Swindon were found guilty on 35 counts of illegal player payments and were given a two-division relegation, that's wildly different to someone peering through a hedge.
I remember it but I don't think the Swindon situ is a precedent here. It was an FA punishment for long term financial misconduct under an old system, not anything like a modern day EFL sporting integrity issue.
I think the gag at the time was Swindon 2 Division 3.
Although I seem to remember them getting it reduced to just the one relegation.
Following that precedent could benefit us but not Boro. Swindon beat Sunderland in the final. Sunderland were promoted as playoff final losers.
There was never any suggestion that Blackburn, who Swindon beat in the semifinal, would be promoted.
tigermaul
Well-Known Member
