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I'm not wanting to go down the rabbit hole too far, but I do think labelling it as just "suspicions" is being very very kind to Boro. According to the official report. The same day they first encountered and caught/snapped salt, they also had evidence of him (someone the were her to encounter) being at Oxford united months earlier in December. So for this to be fully innocent and as it seems - boro had evidence of a junior intern/analyst (that they were yet to encounter, didn't know, and had to go through a process of id'ing) being at another clubs training ground on the very same day that they encountered him, (and before they even knew who he was). See points 15-17 of the report. This is before they allegedly tracked his banking card, before parsons went to Gibson and admitted anything etc. To be true, they would have had to have id'd salt first themselves, then written to all clubs including Oxford, gotten Oxford to track back through their own CCTV from 4months earlier to find someone that looked like salt from the Boro image, and successfully identified Salt and provided that evidence back to Boro for them to present the evidence to the efl - all in a matter of hours on the afternoon / evening of the Thursday 7th. All of which was before this story broke and was in the media etc. I would say that sequence of dates/timings is very unlikely and looks like a smoking gun which hull could potentially use - i.e., would it stand up to a legal scrutiny of Boro were required to supply evidence / messages etc. (in the same way that saints were as part of this charge). It effectively implies that Boro knew who he was and that he'd be there (presumably from from the "whistleblower" (presumably Jason Taylor?)), and that their "media team" was there, ready and waiting with high powered photography equipment to get a snap of him. Which means we were never gaining anything from scouting that training session, and that Boro weren't therefore disadvantaged in the semi final - i.e., result should stand. Sadly, I think Boro will get away with all of this and likely get promoted. But the reality is they really do look to have used saints' indiscretions as their own extra life in the playoffs. Nothing in that excuses us for being idiots and illegally scouting clubs training sessions for an advantage, but the punishment we've received is well OTT... sadly Parsons and co. have committed suicide for the club after the fact on that front.

I bet Solak thinking he needs to keep Parsons or Spors to help make necessary changes. Trouble is Parsons as CEO is. Accountable, Spors knew Eckharts techniques so must have known, Eckhart admits it, coaches part of it, Analyst team all involved. if we look at who has some guilt or accountability in this the whole lot needs to go, and not by dribbling out the door but in one go. to do this we need clarity on couple of big hitters coming in, who are not bothered by this much change and can steady the ship quickly and who will impress the team, if that’s possible.

Arguably, but it's just a deflection from our conduct.

Exactly. The whole thing feels very coordinated.

True. The "theys" are different. My point being that because we've breached the rule for one, it means that it's easier for the other to then show we've then breached whatever they have. All without the FA having to do much work.

Im not, this entire thing was trial by media in which Boro whipped up a storm to turn a minor rule breach into the crime of the century. That means we should have been doing the same. Instead we acted like amateurs

We've managed everything about this wrong, and we seem to now also be managing the aftermath wrong. Why have the only true, personal, candid words been from the players? (A couple of players). Why haven't the club immediately contacted local media to front up what's happened here and immediately try to swing the narrative? I get we are guilty, bang to rights, but at least try to protect yourself and come out of it with some dignity. Immediately showing strength by coming out and speaking, removing people, or at least 'suspensions', would have been the least to expect up to this point. To have so far said nothing, other than them still saying it was disproportionate (it was, but that's not the point) is another sorry affair with SR and their 'machine'. Fucking own it SR, talk to the people candidly about what has gone on here. We don't want corporate bullshit or woe be me platitudes, we need to see and hear action - and so far, it's about as silent as our defence.

It's a failure to act in good faith. What they should have done was reported the Oxford evidence to the EFL sooner as they were clearly given it beforehand by the whistleblower.

It is, in Southampton too No one taking the knee

Maybe our PR company is a subsidiary of a company owned by Boro,

Saints will do the cheaper option which is wait until EFL come up with a way yo sack him or the FA with a ban.

That actually beggars belief doesn’t it. “Don’t worry lads I’ve had a word with him and sorted it out”

I think they're waiting until 5pm on Saturday to sack him. It'll be the main story in all the sports press, second biggest story will be 'middlesborough win playoff final'

, why it's causing such a shit storm Anything that can be launched on social media to influence fans, public, voters from a individual to company will be blown out of proportion. No one can tell from the narrative if it correct, over the top, biased once one of the versions and in this case the punishment of final removal gains momentum that's it no going back. Saints totally miss judged the public opinion and Boro influence and power. Saints let the storm continue into a tornado as they kept quiet thinking a £200k fine will be just tge storm damage.

Of course but anyone can be suspended, we're not even trying to look good 😂

It would be fair to say that this whole sorry saga has turned out to be every bit as bad as initially rumored. Most of us would never have thought this possible - and I still can’t understand how the club has managed to get itself into such an utterly shambolic mess. It’s going to take years for the club to recover – if it ever does. Quite apart from the reports of lies, bullying and spying the mess which the club is now in exposes fundamental failings at the heart of Saints’ corporate management and accountability. Massive reconstruction is required from top to bottom if the club is to have any chance of recovering its reputation in the future.

By the way, personally I think we should have sacked the fucker three days ago. Just giving an independent third party’s view on this.

Like any workplace they'll need to make sure they've got everything in order before removing him. I'm almost certain we'll see a public announcement he's gone around 1100hrs today..

Fair point. Just one thought on that though. Southampton have always been seen as a family friendly, nice, provincial club that looks after its people. We often get bracketed with clubs like Norwich and Ipswich. And that’s all good and other clubs and their fans like us and respect us save for that lot down the road. But now being 57 years old and having supported Saints for well over 50 years and my Dad, Grandad and Great Grandad before, it would be bloody nice to win something. If that means having to sacrifice even to a small degree some of that niceness then I’d take it. Just one trophy. It’s the hope that kills but also keeps you coming back for more.

So many stories circulating about Eckert in the press and he's still currently employed and first team manager, another wonderful PR job from Saints. At least suspend the man pending FA investigation if you want to wait for that so you don't have to pay him out.

Being thrown out of the play-offs, potentially losing £200m, getting a 4 point deduction and it probably leading to the decimation of our management, coaching and playing staff would suggest that ‘it’s not cheating’ isn’t a view that’s widely shared. And ‘thorough and conscientious’ aren’t the words that spring to mind when I read the facts of how he and his crack team went about their brilliant plan, personally.

Neither is he, obviously.

"yeah, sorry about that Gibbo, but we are happy to pay the fine"

Yes it's been highlighted before and is now key to the whole entrapment theory. Boro had seemingly been fed their evidence of us doing it to multiple clubs before Salt turned up at Rockcliffe.

Whatever manager that would likely help keep the majority of our better players. Suspect the SR stato lottery laptop is already spitting out a list of non entities though.