Sam Appleton

Didn't realise it was possible to blow promotion three times in a month, but here we are 😂

Good morning Today for me everything that’s happened this week at Southampton FC is hitting home The #SaintsFc fanbase and all associated should be buzzing and on the way to Wembley for a huge day - gutted 😞 Would be nice if the club actually said or did something and gave those amazing fans some hope ? Where is the leadership?!?

Get Eckert gone. Get the first team coaches gone Get Spors gone. Start the rebuild. #saintsfc

📉 A timeline of #SaintsFC under the ownership of Sport Republic: ◉ January 2022: Takeover completed ◉ May 2022: Finish 15th in the Premier League ◎ August 2022: ~£80m spent on new signings ◎ November 2022: Sack Ralph Hasenhüttl with club 18th ◎ November 2022: Appoint Nathan Jones on 3.5 year deal ◎ January 2023: ~£55m spent on new signings ◎ February 2023: Sack Nathan Jones after 95 days in charge ◎ February 2023: Ruben Selles takes over for rest of season ◎ May 2023: 11-year stay in Premier League ends with relegation in 20th place ◎ May 2023: Ruben Selles leaves the club ◉ June 2023: Appoint Russell Martin on 3 year deal ◉ February 2024: Club record 25-game unbeaten run ◉ May 2024: Achieve Premier League promotion via play-offs ◎ August 2024: ~£100m spent on new signings ◎ December 2024: Sack Russell Martin after 13 defeats in 16 league games ◎ December 2024: Appoint Ivan Jurić on 18 month deal ◎ April 2025: Earliest relegation in Premier League history with eight games to play ◎ April 2025: Ivan Jurić leaves the club ◎ May 2025: Finish season with 12 points and two league wins ◉ May 2025: Appoint Will Still on 3 year deal ◉ August 2025: ~£50m spent on new signings ◉ November 2025: Sack Will Still with club 21st in the Championship ◉ November 2025: Tonda Eckert takes over as interim ◉ December 2025: Appoint Tonda Eckert on 18 month deal ◉ April 2026: Eckert leads team to FA Cup semi-final ◉ May 2026: Eckert leads team to fourth-place and play-offs ◉ May 2026: Eckert leads team to play-off final ◉ May 2026: Club expelled from play-off final after admitting to spying on multiple Championship rivals, including Middlesbrough in play-off semi-final ◎ August 2026: Start Championship season on -4 points, with third and final parachute payment

Leo Scienza clearly an excellent bloke. #SaintsFC

This is THE worst it's ever been as a Southampton fan. Worse than L1 -10pts. Embarrassing. Pointless. Eckert and anyone who knew what was being done needs sacking, immediately. The club is screwed. Even the players are pissed off, and all the best ones will be gone this summer

Gutted for the @SouthamptonFC fans & players! Whoever was involved in the decisions to spy should walk without pay. What a joke!

Southampton beat the Premier League champions fair & square in the FA Cup - I can’t see how you can spy on London Conley having been there. Just underlines that there should have been more belief in the players & ability to make them perform. Idiots

#SaintsFC's lack of leadership & accountability has come home to roost. Players, staff &, most importantly, supporters let down immensely. Quite where the club go from here, irrepsective of the appeal, is beyond me

Genuinely ashamed of this football club. Blame lies with no one else but whoever approved the spying. #SaintsFC

Players ultimately win and lose you games and I will die on that hill. If Boro took their chances at the Riverside then they would probably be at Wembley. Yes, Southampton have broken the rules, but the punishment has to fit the crime.

I'm a Saints fan, and remain embarrassed & mortified that a Saints intern spied on Boro. Pointless. Self-defeating. Cringe. But today's "bombshell" utterly subverts the totally fake news narrative of sophisticated spyware tech, live feeds to HQ etc. It's a kid. With an iphone.

Leeds got a fine for ‘spying’. Southampton should get a fine for ‘spying’…?

@mrewanmurray Someone's been spying on me making all my life choices look stupid for the last 20 years. I demand a replay

Genuinely cannot get the fuss about the Southampton spying business. Footballing dark arts have always existed. The kind of thing that would raise smiles if presided over by Clough, Ferguson or McLean. And almost inevitable with modern technology.

Not surprised associates of Boro want Saints booted out play-offs because why wouldn’t they want a free ride to final, but it’s a ridiculous suggestion. Couldn’t complain about fines, bans and even points docked, but would need proven season-long conspiracy for more. #SaintsFC

@L1minus10 Away fans and no home fans is also one of the most mental suggestions ever, would never be allowed by authorities.

"Boro boss Kim Hellberg is right" - completely unproven "Southampton cheated" - unproven. "Have accepted their guilt" - no, accepting a change and admitting guilt is not the same "A fine doesn't help Boro" - it's not about helping Boro. #saintsfc

Around 5,500 Southampton fans at Preston today Brilliant turnout from the south coast team 👏👏#saintsfc #pnefc

@AvantiWestCoast Tried numerous seats, not working.

Hi Sam. I'm not aware of any long standing issues with charging on that train/in that coach. I would recommend either trying to get power at another seat, or checking in with a member of the onboard team as they pass, or head to coach C. In the meantime, I will report the ports on my side. - Miles

@AvantiWestCoast What’s going on with the charging ports in Coach E of the 16:02 from Preston to London Euston please?