Championship 2025/26 Season

[whoareyaaa]

Crazy decision 

[JimJams]

2 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

Sure.... But Hull WILL have been preparing for a game against Southampton.  Training drills will have been built around their known patterns of play and strengths / weaknesses....

 

Now they have to pivot to Middlesbrough at short notice. 

 

Middlesbrough will have had all this time to train and drill against Hulls patterns.  It's an advantage without a doubt. 

Why would Boro have had all this time?  They've only just been reinstated.  They're gonna be calling players back from Dubai and 'Beefa!

[Nolucklcfc]

5 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

I mean, no one is ever spying again so maybe in that regard it's needed?

Did think when it all came out that they would have to go strong on the punishment to stop others doing it. 

[Fazzer 7]

Serves em right. Feel sorry for the fans though. 

[AKCJ]

1 minute ago, Dan said:

It's over the top, yes.

Is it though?

 

Essentially they've had a game rescinded and will start the next season on -4 for admitting to cheating.

 

Some would say that that is a light punishment.

[CosbehFox]

The EFL have will have used the example of FIFA deducting points for Canada's Womens team for the justification of the punishment. 

 

That Southampton have admitted guilt isn't a good look as it means the EFL and the clubs have conclusive evidence and effectively Southampton have been trying to plea a case of lesser punishment rather than denying the crime. 

Edited 19 May by CosbehFox

[-sodapop]

2 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

I agree.  But that isn't what I was saying. 

No I totally agree with what you said though, Hull will have at best split their preparations 50:50 between Soton and Boro, Boro knew they would be facing Hull if this happened and prepared exclusively for them. Just isn't fair for Hull at all.

[Super_horns]

Wasn’t expecting that .

Very strong punishment and fair on Boro probably .

Sure Southampton will appeal .

[steveherbe]

6 minutes ago, 21st Century Fox said:

I grew up on the south coast, everyone at school supported Saints, half my family support them, this is my Christmas.

I live down there, this'll shut the entitled nobheads up. 

[fleshdaddy]

Good on the EFL, and proof that cheating is not acceptable. Feel sorry for the fans, but hopefully they direct their anger towards those at their club lacking integrity. Serves them right.

[RoboFox]

r/championship is going to have a meme meltdown. It might even top Farage day.

 

Edited 19 May by RoboFox

[RowlattsFox]

Apart from finding it a bit funny, I'm not sure how I feel about this. Attempt at cheating? Yes. But there many attempts at cheating on a football pitch. Stupid from Southampton and they definitely underestimated the impact of being caught. Wonder how that chap is feeling 

 

But feel it's a bit pathetic from Middlesborough too, and not sure you'd really want to win promotion like is (I know they still have to beat Hull) but then again I'm sure the higher don't give a shit about that, they just want the premier league money.

 

All that said, not sure what the punishment should've been as a fine is meaningless. Ideally punishment should've been made before the first leg but that was impossible. 

[Foxdiamond]

More evidence of what a dirty messy state professional football is in

[oundlefox]

We’ve made some boneheaded decisions recently but imagine missing out on a Premier League spot and 200m quid because you spied on Oxford in December 🤡🤡

[Adster]

Just now, fleshdaddy said:

Good on the EFL, and proof that cheating is not acceptable. Feel sorry for the fans, but hopefully they direct their anger towards those at their club lacking integrity. Serves them right.

This is it. Far too many southampton fans claiming its a miscarriage of justice. Its not. You tried to unfairly gain an advantage. 

 

I for once am glad the EFL and independent commission grew a set and provided the strongest possible punishment. If they don't, what message would that send? 

 

Just dont do it. 

[jammie82uk]

3 minutes ago, JimJams said:

Why would Boro have had all this time?  They've only just been reinstated.  They're gonna be calling players back from Dubai and 'Beefa!

The players have not gone anywhere, They have carried on training incase this happens 

[CornwallFox]

6 minutes ago, MPH said:

It’s hard to believe how the final can go ahead on Saturday, pending appeal..

There's zero chance surely. They need to re-ticket, with an appeal presumably likely? 

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

3 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Serves em right. Feel sorry for the fans though. 

This, it’s always the fans that suffer 

[Leeds Fox]

1 minute ago, Super_horns said:

Wasn’t expecting that .

Very strong punishment and fair on Boro probably .

Sure Southampton will appeal .

Surely if an appeal is successful, it’ll be a removal of the points deduction. 
 

The EFL can’t re-instate them. It would look extremely weak. 

[The Year Of The Fox]

So either

 

Sell 20k odd Boro tickets within 36 hours (possibly would happen, but the logistics the club would have to deal either in terms of priority etc)

 

or

 

Subject Hull fans to a loss of transport/accommodation etc etc for this Saturday (by moving the fixture)

 

To say nothing of the loss of travel and accommodation Saints fans will have suffered

 

 

That’s just thinking about matters off the pitch, never mind tactics etc

[Adster]

7 minutes ago, Dan said:

It's over the top, yes.

Perhaps they should be given physical abuse, instead?

[The Doctor]

19 minutes ago, bovril said:

Just told my girlfriend Southampton had been expelled for spying and she said "for whom?" and now I have a mental image of Ryan Manning sending dossiers to the Iranians.

"the US have set off on a new ground invasion but against who Chris Kamara?"

[jammie82uk]

Just now, Leeds Fox said:

The EFL can’t re-instate them. It would look extremely weak. 

It wouldn’t be the EFL reinstated them it will be the independent commission 

[MC Prussian]

In terms of fairness, it's the correct call.

 

However... How does this prevent spying?

Clubs will just find other, more sleazy ways to get what they want (if they really want to).

 

Also, this surely must mean that clubs will get hit with points deductions for all kinds of "misbehaviour". I expect more news in that direction, such as clubs complaining about transfers, fans, sponsors... and ultimately, the league itself.

[Tommy Fresh]

Teams get kicked out of cup competitions for fielding ineligible players, rules are there so it's their own fault