Solid State Circuitry

🚨BREAKING: Tonda Eckert has admitted he was responsible for the decision to spy on opponents, with his key defence being that he did not realise he was breaching English football rules because the practice is understood to be more common on the continent #saintsfc [Telegraph]

@happyhoppy66 @SaintsExtra @TeleFootball Of course they fucking did. What's the point of getting the data if they didn't share it with the players. They'd have known set piece routines, line-ups, etc. How Southampton have the nerve to appeal is staggering.

@SaintsExtra @TeleFootball So the players knew then 🤷‍♂️ #saintsfc

🚨 In written evidence submitted to the EFL, the whistleblower is understood to have claimed that Southampton team meetings included references to opposition data being gathered from the training ground #saintsfc @TeleFootball

@SaintsExtra @TeleFootball "fears"?! Fuck me. So he should.

🚨 Tonda Eckert has been 'badly bruised' by the Spygate scandal & fears he could be banned from football by the Football Association & lose his job at Southampton #saintsfc @TeleFootball

🚨 UPDATED: Text messages between Southampton employees thought to have provided incriminating evidence of systemic spying 🔎 FA set to investigate & that will likely include Tonda Eckert, sporting director Johannes Spors & analyst William Salt #spygate dailymail.com/sport/football…

Southampton players arriving at Wembley Stadium on Saturday for the playoff final…

Taylor Harwood-Bellis celebrated like this in front of Middlesbrough players not long after making fun of Luke Ayling's speech impediment, Southampton have now been kicked out of the play off final 7 days later... Karma is an incredible thing... 🤣

Delighted for Middlesbrough on this result. Good luck to MFC now for the final!

Southampton kicked out of Championship play-off final for spying. Correct decision, especially as it transpires they spied on three clubs in total. This is about more than a bloke standing behind a tree with an iPhone. It’s about how seriously the game should take cheating. EFL independent disciplinary commission have struck a blow for fair play, for integrity, for the need for respect between clubs, for coaches to have an expectation of privacy in training. 25% of goals scored in the Championship this season were from set-pieces. Clubs practised them. Understandably, coaches don’t want their plans revealed. EFL sending a strong message with this punishment.  Spygate 2 different from Spygate 1. Rules tightened and punishments introduced since Leeds United’s offence. Appeals, of course. It’s tough for Southampton fans to be denied the trip to Wembley and the chance of a return to the Premier League. It’s particularly tough that many have forked out for tickets, travel and accommodation. Their frustration and anger should be directed at their club. Southampton should recompense fans. It’s not the fans’ fault.  The stupidity in all this is that Southampton would probably have beaten Boro anyway. Better team, stronger bench. But this is so damning… “Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match,” says EFL. “The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026.” So the punishment is proportionate. It should act as a deterrent. Honesty matters.

@secondtierpod @JacobsBen Breathtaking arrogance, isn't it? They have spied on THREE clubs. And they feel the punishment is "unjust". Sums up the club really, doesn't it?

Southampton ARE APPEALING the decision per @JacobsBen. They feel the decision is unjust and intend to resolve on May 20th (tomorrow). Fucking hell.

@SaintsExtra Fantastic! Justice. Now ban cheater Eckert.

🚨 BREAKING: Southampton removed from the play-offs #saintsfc

LBC caller: “I’ve never voted Labour but I’d walk barefoot to vote for them if they rejoin the EU.” Rejoin is surging, 59% want to rejoin.

@In_That_Number @L1minus10 I'm hearing that every Southampton fan blames Middlesbrough for their own clubs' cheating. Actually, I'm seeing, not hearing.

@L1minus10 I'm hearing this isn't the 1st time Boro have pulled this kind of stunt before. Apparently they tried to get Derby kicked out of the play offs back in 2019. Just surprised this hasn't been picked up on before

Going on ITV in a couple of hours to talk about the verdict… I see one problem with that…. #saintsfc

@SaintsExtra @sfcawaynumbers Wow. That's a hell of a lot of refunds.

🚨🎟️ Southampton’s 37,604 ticket allocation for Saturday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley is now SOLD OUT #saintsfc @sfcawaynumbers

Fuck you an infinite number of times.

WARNING: There is a significant chance that you will die of cringe watching this video.

@secondtierpod Absolutely mad decision. McBurnie is a fantastic player.

Oli McBurnie has scored more than: Lawrence Shankland, George Hirst, Ross Stewart, Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes. Scotland's loss 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@ADHNinety @EdwardsTracey84 The two aren't mutually exclusive mate. Boro may have "bottled" promotion but they are still ten times the club yours is. They don't cheat.

@EdwardsTracey84 How could we forget, it’s all you’ve mentioned since you bottled promotion

Let's not forget the club that caused all this mess

@BeaumontDMD @GBB1128505 I love the "it made no difference" argument from the cheats' fans. That is why weirdo Eckert sent that guy over 250 miles to spy, because it would make "no difference". At the very least, Eckert will get a nice lengthy ban for cheating. Forever tarnished.

@GBB1128505 It made no difference to the outcome. Boro absolutely battered us in the first half of the first leg. They should have been 2 or 3 nil up. The reason they weren't is because they don't train the strikers how to finish. Not Saints fault

Whilst my heart is with #saintsfc on this matter, the whole situation is grossly unfair on Hull City. There's every chance their tactics might be tweaked depending on who they are playing, and so their preparations are being impacted upon by this ongoing saga

@PaulMas69087767 @jonatha54294436 Refunds can be issued in minutes. Large events are cancelled all the time. And, with their attitude, who cares? They've spent the last week victim blaming.

@jonatha54294436 Legal exposure, Wembley availability, policing, broadcasters, ticketing allocations, refunding Southampton fans… it’s a lot of ducks that need to be in line. A simple fine wouldn’t need this amount of time in my opinion, nor would a statement saying there’s a lack of evidence

Thread 🧵 Why I genuinely think there’s now a very strong chance Middlesbrough could still end up in the playoff final. Not saying it definitely happens. But I think people dismissing the possibility entirely are ignoring some very important things 👇 #Boro #SaintsFC #Spygate

@PLZSoccer What's the betting he spends more time on the treatment table than on the pitch. Madness not taking McBurnie.

🗣️ ‘I think it’s a great story!’ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland manager Steve Clarke explains Southampton striker Ross Stewart’s inclusion in the 2026 World Cup squad four years after his most recent cap. #scotland #worldcup