Championship 2025/26 Season

[Chelmofox]

2 minutes ago, The Bear said:

Even if you believe Eckert's ridiculous defence that it happens all the time on the continent and he didn't know any better, then surely someone involved should have said "hang on a minute mate, that's not allowed in England". 

 

They can't only blame the manager on this one. What sort of idiots at the club went along with it? 

To only hold the manager accountable would be insane. No way would he on his own have made this decision. We are not talking Pep here, we are talking about a guy who come through the Academy, was interim and then got the gig first time. It would have needed sign off somewhere, and then there would have been the small matter of using the information in meetings etc.

 

If the manager could have done this on his own, and noone else at the club had an idea, its even worse from a governance perspective. 

 

What an absolute mess. 

[21st Century Fox]

They’ll sack Eckert and still appoint someone quicker than we will.

[Wymsey]

Either the guy who did it is currently wet with laughter or fearing for his life..

[Ric Flair]

Middlesborough will comfortably win this now and there will be absolute uproar from Hull City 😂

[Foxin_Mad]

Mainly because Hull are uttter shite

[Dan]

4 hours ago, Corky said:

It is a really tough one. I may be underplaying it but I can't get too worked up about this. Football clubs are always pushing boundaries and looking to gain any advantage- I know VAR is involved so it won't happen but if a Boro player dived to win a penalty that won the game, would they be bothered about good faith and all that? 

 

I understand financial rules- clubs cannot be allowed to seriously overspend and risk meltdown- but, honestly, if a club was spying on us, it wouldn't particularly bother me. Fans get so sanctimonious about these things.

That's it for me as well. I really think it's quite disproportionate given what plenty of others do get away with. Lets see if it's the start of a hard line on cheating. But spoiler alert, I promise it isn't.

[Wymsey]

18 minutes ago, Dan said:

That's it for me as well. I really think it's quite disproportionate given what plenty of others do get away with. Lets see if it's the start of a hard line on cheating. But spoiler alert, I promise it isn't.

Albeit a different situation altogether, wait until the conclusion of Man City's charges..

 

They'll probably have a massive fine/a transfer window can and that's it.

[jammie82uk]

33 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

Albeit a different situation altogether, wait until the conclusion of Man City's charges..

 

They'll probably have a massive fine/a transfer window can and that's it.

It doesn’t matter what is thrown at Man City the worse outcome for them is missing European football for a season unless a points deduction is 60 points or more then they might be in trouble, a monetary fine or a transfer ban won’t affect them much 

[fazzyfox]

1 hour ago, The Bear said:

Even if you believe Eckert's ridiculous defence that it happens all the time on the continent and he didn't know any better, then surely someone involved should have said "hang on a minute mate, that's not allowed in England". 

 

They can't only blame the manager on this one. What sort of idiots at the club went along with it? 

Absolutely agree, when they sat in the briefing room being given the details of Oxford / Ipswich / Boro, particularly Boro who they’d played twice before at that stage, didn’t anyone raise the question “How do we know this”? If it was supposedly based on match footage did they wonder why that was not being played to them as is the norm? If the info gained through spying was just considered supplementary and used in conjunction with traditional presentations and drills you’d still think “How do we know this is the case”.

The only other option was that it looked at whether there was anything new or different to expect and the footage revealed that “no there isn’t” so wasn’t useful apart from in re-enforcing existing expectations. Or very minimal in just suggesting the line up but nothing else?
 

I’d say it should be a 1 year ban for all involved but where do you draw the line on “Involved”? The spy, the person who asked him to (manager had admitted), the data team who processed the information and factored it into presentations. Every coach who worked on drills following gaining the information? is there a whistle blowing policy (insert referee joke) for anyone working at a club like in other industries? Or just tip off the chairman anonymously rather than turn a blind eye.
 
it reminds me of the newspaper editors who ran stories from their journalists built around information shared in intimate conversations yet claimed all innocence of knowledge that phone tapping was involved. Where did they think the private dialogue came from? 

[Kitchandro]

22 minutes ago, fazzyfox said:

Absolutely agree, when they sat in the briefing room being given the details of Oxford / Ipswich / Boro, particularly Boro who they’d played twice before at that stage, didn’t anyone raise the question “How do we know this”? If it was supposedly based on match footage did they wonder why that was not being played to them as is the norm? If the info gained through spying was just considered supplementary and used in conjunction with traditional presentations and drills you’d still think “How do we know this is the case”.

The only other option was that it looked at whether there was anything new or different to expect and the footage revealed that “no there isn’t” so wasn’t useful apart from in re-enforcing existing expectations. Or very minimal in just suggesting the line up but nothing else?
 

I’d say it should be a 1 year ban for all involved but where do you draw the line on “Involved”? The spy, the person who asked him to (manager had admitted), the data team who processed the information and factored it into presentations. Every coach who worked on drills following gaining the information? is there a whistle blowing policy (insert referee joke) for anyone working at a club like in other industries? Or just tip off the chairman anonymously rather than turn a blind eye.
 
it reminds me of the newspaper editors who ran stories from their journalists built around information shared in intimate conversations yet claimed all innocence of knowledge that phone tapping was involved. Where did they think the private dialogue came from? 

These managers are very arrogant, hence why they would put so much importance on something like this. He thinks he’s a genius with his fine-margins and going the extra mile. Like those method actors who take themselves too seriously. ‘To beat Middlesbrough, I need to BE Middlesbrough’.

 

In other words, I doubt anyone second guessed him because he’ll impose his authority on the environment. After all, the data people are there to support him, not call the shots.

 

I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say the manager just told someone to do this stuff in private and keep it hush hush. If he decided to change the tactics at the last minute no one is going to demand the manager explain himself. 

 

In reality, anything they found out from spying would have been supplementary information that was unlikely to have drastically changed anything. Maybe the odd pointer. I don’t see why anyone other than the manager and a couple of others would need to have been any the wiser. 

[Kitchandro]

5 hours ago, StanSP said:

Josh Windass trying to edge Wrexham into the equation saying they should replace Southampton and have all the Championship play-offs redone  

And this is why it was a silly ruling. That argument is now completely reasonable. Why shouldn’t Wrexham be in? Why should any result over the past season stand until every single fixture is reviewed?

[Deeg67]

I do think you can make a credible case that the playoffs should just be replayed. It's only two extra matches and it would be the fairest way to handle the situation. We'd certainly be screaming for it if we were in Wrexham's shoes.

[teblin]

5 hours ago, Deeg67 said:

I do think you can make a credible case that the playoffs should just be replayed. It's only two extra matches and it would be the fairest way to handle the situation. We'd certainly be screaming for it if we were in Wrexham's shoes.

You could for example play 1 extra game Anf have single leg semi final at a natural ground.

 

Biggers issue with it being a World Cup year it all needs to be sorted. Also poor hull fans have already booked travel etc…. and have done nothing wrong.

Edited 21 May by teblin

[The Horse's Mouth]

The idea that spying had that much of an edge towards the result is ludicrous, this genuinely is the most mental thing the EFL have ever done, even though I’m glad they’ve done it  

[richardsfoxes]

I think i've got the minority view of the punishment doesn't really fit the crime, especially when you consider that Chelsea only got fined after winning x amount of cups/prems with players that they shouldn't of even signed. Regardless I think the EFL have opened a massive can of worms here, what if Borough win the final now, Hull going to sue EFL? Southampton? What if clubs are now checking their CCTV and find more evidence that they've done it more than what they have said, more deductions? More law suits?. Man City and the premier league must be watching this play out and both be shitting it, as if they are found guity they are gonna be sued for loss of earnings from everyone, trophies will be given to other clubs as they EFL have made a decision now they can't undo which is taking something won off a club and giving it to another because of cheating. 

[Lad1966]

18 minutes ago, richardsfoxes said:

I think i've got the minority view of the punishment doesn't really fit the crime, especially when you consider that Chelsea only got fined after winning x amount of cups/prems with players that they shouldn't of even signed. Regardless I think the EFL have opened a massive can of worms here, what if Borough win the final now, Hull going to sue EFL? Southampton? What if clubs are now checking their CCTV and find more evidence that they've done it more than what they have said, more deductions? More law suits?. Man City and the premier league must be watching this play out and both be shitting it, as if they are found guity they are gonna be sued for loss of earnings from everyone, trophies will be given to other clubs as they EFL have made a decision now they can't undo which is taking something won off a club and giving it to another because of cheating. 

Re Man City, may be we might get compo for financial lost due to not getting champion league monies?

[Rusko187]

Personally I'm finding this bloody hilarious, it's like they've thrown a cat amongst the pigeons.

 

Southampton were right to be booted out, no sympathy there.. only a marginal amount to the fans but personally I can't stand Southampton so bloody good.

As for Hull and Middlesbrough, there's absolutely no way this is going to end well.. If Hull win, M'Boro will cite lack of time to prepare for the game etc. If M'Boro win, Hull will cite last minute change of team in the final. Either way it's going to be an exciting summer of fallout from this.. and I'm here for the fireworks HAHAHAHA.

[TheGoldenGod]

8 minutes ago, Rusko187 said:

Personally I'm finding this bloody hilarious, it's like they've thrown a cat amongst the pigeons.

 

Southampton were right to be booted out, no sympathy there.. only a marginal amount to the fans but personally I can't stand Southampton so bloody good.

As for Hull and Middlesbrough, there's absolutely no way this is going to end well.. If Hull win, M'Boro will cite lack of time to prepare for the game etc. If M'Boro win, Hull will cite last minute change of team in the final. Either way it's going to be an exciting summer of fallout from this.. and I'm here for the fireworks HAHAHAHA.

Also any other team that isn't Southampton, Boro or Hull will just file lawsuits for monetary gain rather than anything else because you can't unpick the season result by result. A proper can of worms opened!

[Sol thewall Bamba]

9 hours ago, Foxin_Mad said:

Mainly because Hull are uttter shite

They're both shit

[Asha]

Don’t have any sympathy for the fans when they were gloating about spying in the second leg, even turning up dressed as shrubbery with a pair of binoculars ffs. 

[Chelmofox]

13 minutes ago, Rusko187 said:

Personally I'm finding this bloody hilarious, it's like they've thrown a cat amongst the pigeons.

 

Southampton were right to be booted out, no sympathy there.. only a marginal amount to the fans but personally I can't stand Southampton so bloody good.

As for Hull and Middlesbrough, there's absolutely no way this is going to end well.. If Hull win, M'Boro will cite lack of time to prepare for the game etc. If M'Boro win, Hull will cite last minute change of team in the final. Either way it's going to be an exciting summer of fallout from this.. and I'm here for the fireworks HAHAHAHA.

If Hull win, Borough have nothing to complain about imho. They’ve been training all week anyway as they knew this was a likely outcome, and they’ve effectively been given a bye after they wasted so many chances in that first leg. 
 

If Borough win, it’s a mess. Hull had to prepare for 2 opponents, and Borough were beaten in the previous round. I think Borough might have Hackney back, so they may have a stronger team. 

[Manwell Pablo]

6 hours ago, Deeg67 said:

I do think you can make a credible case that the playoffs should just be replayed. It's only two extra matches and it would be the fairest way to handle the situation. We'd certainly be screaming for it if we were in Wrexham's shoes.

On what grounds should they be replayed. 
 

Wrexham have no case at all, they finished nine points behind Southampton. 
 

You didn’t have teams screaming for the whole of the first round of the fa cup to be replayed when Barnsley were thrown out. 
 

The protocol for teams thrown out of a ko competitions is one of the things consistently applied in football around the world, the defeated team goes through. Seen it in everything before, the play offs, the fa cup, AFCON, and on this “big team” conspiracy even Real Madrid have been thrown out the Copa Del Rey. 

[ramboacdc]

FA now launching am investigation too. 

 

Wonder if that means we wont see the evidence presented in the last few days until that investigation has been completed.

[Raj]

Hope Hull win no matter who they end up playing.

Saints did something they shouldn't have, fair enough, but it  made very little difference and  they still beat Boro so feck them both.

[jammie82uk]

7 minutes ago, Manwell Pablo said:

On what grounds should they be replayed. 
 

Wrexham have no case at all, they finished nine points behind Southampton. 
 

You didn’t have teams screaming for the whole of the first round of the fa cup to be replayed when Barnsley were thrown out. 
 

The protocol for teams thrown out of a ko competitions is one of the things consistently applied in football around the world, the defeated team goes through. Seen it in everything before, the play offs, the fa cup, AFCON, and on this “big team” conspiracy even Real Madrid have been thrown out the Copa Del Rey. 

But not all charges was for the knockout competition, obviously we don’t know for certain yet but the fact that Southampton went on a 20 game unbeaten run between two of the confirmed spying incidents certainly raises a few questions