Southampton captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis has issued a statement following the ‘Spygate’ appeal verdict on Wednesday. He also clarified the situation around his controversial celebration in the Championship play-off second-leg against Middlesbrough, when he mimicked holding a pair of binoculars, saying he would never have done so had he been aware of how serious the situation was.
Southampton were kicked out of the Championship play-off final on Tuesday after admitting to spying on rival teams, and their appeal was unsuccessful. A post on Instagram read: “As players, we are absolutely gutted, disappointed, and heartbroken that it’s come to this (regarding the verdict). “I’d also like to put on record that, had I known the severity of the situation, I would never have done what I did on the pitch. In the moment, it was meant as a bit of fun in a situation that we as players were not informed about.”
In full, Southampton could face further punishment over the ‘Spygate’ scandal as the FA launches an investigation.
