The English Football League (EFL) has charged Southampton with misconduct following allegations that a member of their staff spied on Middlesbrough's training session before a Championship play-off semi-final. The case will be heard by an independent disciplinary commission convened at the earliest opportunity.
Middlesbrough reported that a Southampton employee was caught filming and recording audio of their manager Kim Hellberg's training session at Rockliffe Park on Thursday. The individual, allegedly a first-team analyst, was spotted hiding in bushes and later changed his appearance in a hotel toilet, with CCTV evidence reportedly in Middlesbrough's possession.
The EFL charges relate to breaches of regulation 3.4, requiring utmost good faith between clubs, and regulation 127, which prohibits observing another club's training within 72 hours of a match. Southampton have 14 days to respond, but the EFL has requested an expedited hearing. Potential sanctions range from fines to points deductions or even expulsion from the competition.
This case follows precedents such as Leeds United's £200,000 fine in 2019 for spying on Derby County, which led to the introduction of regulation 127. More recently, Canada women's coach Bev Priestman received a one-year ban and points deduction for drone spying at the Paris Olympics.
Middlesbrough remain concerned that the alleged spy may have shared footage of dead-ball routines with colleagues. The club's gameplan may hinge on the fitness of midfielder Hayden Hackney. Fans have been urged to line the roads to the Riverside Stadium for a hostile reception ahead of Tuesday's second leg.
