Matthew Le God

If true, they should appeal it for shits and giggles.

With Stephens back on the bench for the 2nd leg he might start the final.

If that happened I don't think I could stop laughing from now until the final.

In fact... aren't they breaching the same regulation Saints have? EFL Regulation 3.4 — clubs must “act towards each other with the utmost good faith.” Attempting to prejudice and influence the outcome of an ongoing investigation is not acting in good faith!

The Middlesbrough statement today asking for us to be kicked out is the equivalent of a player doing a tackle and the opponents surrounding the ref and demanding he give a red card! Acting like that isn't allowed on the pitch, nor should it be off it.

If he didn't think it was an issue, he wouldn't be hiding behind a tree.

If that was the case he should have said 'no, Im not doing that'. If my boss told me to do something that shouldn't be done, I'd take it to his boss.

That is nonsense. It is between the EFL and Saints. Boro lawyers won't be presenting anything in person, nor can they appeal any decision.

Due process Plus... how do you know he hasn't?

Flynn Downes = Fred Shaggy = Ross Stewart Tonda Eckert = As the (former) caretaker of the theme park Steve Gibson = Scrappy Doo

He is wrong on this... "Southampton, Boro and/or the EFL can appeal" Middlesbrough can not appeal. It is between Saints and the EFL.

This didn't get his team chucked out of a competition for spying on tactics 😉

It is because Saints jumped the gun and it should have been announced at the same time Hull City publish it.

Steve Gibson's hotel has some poor reviews on Trip Advisor

If Boro are confident things are going their way, why are they leaking everything to the press?

What would stop any member of the public from booking a hotel room, taking a stroll in the hotel grounds and sending training notes to Hull if Boro are in the final? Nothing So Boro clearly can't be too bothered about sensitive tactical information being in the public gaze.

If we all buy match tickets tomorrow and then get kicked out, refuse getting a refund and keep the ticket 😉 😇

Missing the point I was making (again)

You missed the point I was making. Yes, it happened. Yes, we should be punished. But if any member of the public is able to livestream a tactical training session it highlights rhe flaw in the defence of saying vital info could be seen. It can't be deemed vital if it is on public show with no fences!

Should Saints be punished for breaking the rules? YES However.... A Middlesbrough claim of viewing their training allowed a significant advantage is flawed! Viewable by any member of the public to see. They have made no effort to block views. Public could film and put on YouTube for the world (and opponents) to see and it wouldn't break a rule.

I doubt the independent commission would care about that impacting their decision.

You or I or any member of the public could walk past the training pitch, make notes and then email them to an opponent. No intent from the club, but they can still find out info as there has been no attempt to block the view from the public. If they were concerned about privacy they'd block the view. That is why people have frosted glass on bathroom windows!

When I worked in Portsmouth I used to walk past their training ground every day. You could easily see through the chain link fence and could walk on a public footpath a few yards from the training pitch. If Pompey and Middlesbrough were concerned about things being seen they'd have a fence you couldn't see through. Any member of the public could see what Pompey were doing and tell their opponent if they wanted, wouldn't need to be a club employee. Same for Middlesbrough. So the rule is daft if clubs don't even bother to keep things out of the public gaze with non see through fencing. That is why people have frosted glass on bathroom windows!

Where do you put that in the accounts that are publicly available on the Companies House website? Also... why would he be happy even with a payoff if his reputation in the football industry is tarnished for life?

He'd have to be sacked if he did it as a lone wolf. If he was under instructions from the club and if you were him, would you accept the sacking, the reputation hit to your career in football or would you expose the lie?