| This is a good piece on Spygate 08:18 - May 14 with 3033 views | Steve_M |
Which gets to the essential point that it's quite funny for everyone else as well as being blatant cheating:
https://substack.com/home/post
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 09:24 - May 14 with 2757 views | Ryorry |
Good article, and the story is obviously an intriguing drama, but I don’t find it funny at all, and I bet Boro fans don’t either.
Hadn’t realised that POF tickets haven’t yet gone on sale, not even a time set. What a mess. |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 10:30 - May 14 with 2588 views | Stadiumofdark |
Relegate Saints
Hull v Wednesday for a place in Prem
Funny! |  | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 10:44 - May 14 with 2484 views | ITFC_Forever |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 09:24 - May 14 by Ryorry |
Good article, and the story is obviously an intriguing drama, but I don’t find it funny at all, and I bet Boro fans don’t either.
Hadn’t realised that POF tickets haven’t yet gone on sale, not even a time set. What a mess. |
They were waiting to see who got in the final before setting the time. |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 11:11 - May 14 with 2364 views | Churchman |
From a the position of the comfy sofa with my team enjoying their holibobs and Promotion in the bag, I find it hilarious. It’s a bit like watching Gunn’s air kick. Not funny for him, the idiot that passed it back, the team or their supporters, but funny for everyone else.
I’m not sure what I find more amusing. The stupidity of it, assuming there’s any truth to it, the managers doing a Mexican stand off or the Southampton supporters dressed as hedges and spies.
In a dangerous and unfunny world, it’s quite good to have a little distraction like this - accepting that it’s not for Southampton or especially Middlesbrough.
Yes it’s a blatant cheating attempt if true and should be kicked out of the playoffs and Middlesbrough allowed to play Hull. Mind you, given how crazy the Saints manager looks, I suspect if found guilty, an EFL official or two could find a horse’s head in their beds. |  | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 11:43 - May 14 with 2205 views | CopfordBlue |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 11:11 - May 14 by Churchman |
From a the position of the comfy sofa with my team enjoying their holibobs and Promotion in the bag, I find it hilarious. It’s a bit like watching Gunn’s air kick. Not funny for him, the idiot that passed it back, the team or their supporters, but funny for everyone else.
I’m not sure what I find more amusing. The stupidity of it, assuming there’s any truth to it, the managers doing a Mexican stand off or the Southampton supporters dressed as hedges and spies.
In a dangerous and unfunny world, it’s quite good to have a little distraction like this - accepting that it’s not for Southampton or especially Middlesbrough.
Yes it’s a blatant cheating attempt if true and should be kicked out of the playoffs and Middlesbrough allowed to play Hull. Mind you, given how crazy the Saints manager looks, I suspect if found guilty, an EFL official or two could find a horse’s head in their beds. |
It’s great isn’t it! The off field stories becoming the news is often more entertaining than the football. I don’t watch soap operas, I don’t know 90% of the celebrities that appear on reality shows and occasionally make the news. Football drama though , I’m always up for that - Bobby Moore being arrested for theft before the World Cup, Tommy Dochety, having an affair with the club doctor’s wife, Tony Adams going to prison, Swindon being denied promotion, John Terry and Wayne Bridge, Keane storming out of the Ireland camp, the sackings by England of Hoddle and Alladyce, match-fixing allegations against Grobelaar etc etc . I can’t get enough! This latest one is a corker. It’s intriguing watching how it’s going to play out. |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 11:46 - May 14 with 2190 views | Herbivore |
Has to be a sporting sanction for me, I don't think a fine really cuts it if Saints go up. The level of penalty will depend on whether there's evidence this has been more widespread from them and not just a one-off. Either a points deduction, with the Prem agreeing to apply the sanction should Saints go up (which is possible I understand) or Boro get awarded a 3-0 win for the first leg and advance to the play off final, or possibly both. |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:15 - May 14 with 2089 views | RIPbobby |
This is a really tough one for me. Is it cheating as such? It's not as if they played with 15 players or the like. I bet the data they have on squads is ultra in depth these days. I bet they even know what their farts smell like.
Interesting to see how this pans out. |  | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:31 - May 14 with 1968 views | southnorfolkblue |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:15 - May 14 by RIPbobby |
This is a really tough one for me. Is it cheating as such? It's not as if they played with 15 players or the like. I bet the data they have on squads is ultra in depth these days. I bet they even know what their farts smell like.
Interesting to see how this pans out. |
I reckon it’s cheating. There’s a clear rule which Saints have tried to get around by having someone hide in the bushes to try and not get caught.
They stand to gain around £200,000,000 potentially. Did it make any material difference? Probably not, but they clearly thought it was a risk worth taking. I reckon that was a terrible judgment call.
Expulsion has to be the punishment if proven doesnt it? [Post edited 14 May 13:06]
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:34 - May 14 with 1942 views | ReusersTown |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:15 - May 14 by RIPbobby |
This is a really tough one for me. Is it cheating as such? It's not as if they played with 15 players or the like. I bet the data they have on squads is ultra in depth these days. I bet they even know what their farts smell like.
Interesting to see how this pans out. |
What do you mean? It's about as obvious as cheating gets. Southampton getting a quick look at Boro's cards before a hand of poker. Wheres the logic that there's no benefit to be gained? They've not done it for no reason lol | | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:38 - May 14 with 1905 views | hype313 |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:15 - May 14 by RIPbobby |
This is a really tough one for me. Is it cheating as such? It's not as if they played with 15 players or the like. I bet the data they have on squads is ultra in depth these days. I bet they even know what their farts smell like.
Interesting to see how this pans out. |
It's blatant cheating, states so on the EFL rules.
Southampton should be kicked out, I think the EFL are making sure everything is watertight before they announce it.
Interestingly, quite a few Saints fans on TS yesterday said if they are guilty and kicked out then that's what they deserve.
They got caught with their hands in the till, simple as that. |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:46 - May 14 with 1850 views | Devereuxxx |
It's a great bit of drama, there's so much left to come out about it as well - some of which we'll probably never know:
- Is there evidence they've done this to other teams? In my mind, it would be a little odd if they decided to only do it on this one occasion, and from the sounds of it the chap know what he was doing. He had a change of clothes and an exit strategy!
- Are there other clubs who have been doing this themselves and have now decided perhaps their clandestine analyst intel gathering should be quietly shelved?
- How can Southampton claim this is a rogue agent? If I just didn't turn up to work someone would start asking questions about my whereabouts. Especially if I then turned up the next day with our competitors intellectual property on my phone.
- How would they have used the footage? The argument that the coaching staff would have refused to use it for the integrity of the game seems far-fetched.
- It's pretty obvious that they are guilty of spying, but to what extent? Is just a picture of him with his phone out enough? What is the threshold for a guilty verdict here?
And, all of this against a back drop of an incredibly time sensitive situation where this all needs to be wrapped up in a matter of days.
It's great drama when looking from the outside, it really is. |  | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:03 - May 14 with 1776 views | CaptainAhab |
The more I think about it, the more I think Southampton are going to be kicked out of the playoffs. It's blatant rule breaking, whether or not they gained much advantage, and they haven't denied it. If they simply get a fine, then Middlesbrough will quite rightly be furious and the saga will run and run. Kick Saints out and a line can be drawn under it. I don't think there'd even be much complaint, apart from a bit of lip service, judging by the feeling of some of their fans.
The only other consideration is whether other clubs, Millwall and Wrexham for example, kick off about it. Possibly a points deduction for Southampton next season too could help appease them. | | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:07 - May 14 with 1738 views | RadioOrwell |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:03 - May 14 by CaptainAhab |
The more I think about it, the more I think Southampton are going to be kicked out of the playoffs. It's blatant rule breaking, whether or not they gained much advantage, and they haven't denied it. If they simply get a fine, then Middlesbrough will quite rightly be furious and the saga will run and run. Kick Saints out and a line can be drawn under it. I don't think there'd even be much complaint, apart from a bit of lip service, judging by the feeling of some of their fans.
The only other consideration is whether other clubs, Millwall and Wrexham for example, kick off about it. Possibly a points deduction for Southampton next season too could help appease them. |
A points deduction in the Prem would be terrific for us. |  | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:20 - May 14 with 1630 views | Swansea_Blue |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:15 - May 14 by RIPbobby |
This is a really tough one for me. Is it cheating as such? It's not as if they played with 15 players or the like. I bet the data they have on squads is ultra in depth these days. I bet they even know what their farts smell like.
Interesting to see how this pans out. |
Yes, it’s cheating (the second charge is). They knew the rules and sent James Bond (I’m knocking that from the article) in to find out what he could anyway. |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:26 - May 14 with 1575 views | Blue_In_Boston |
It is blatent cheating, but then, watch any game so much of it goes on.
A dive for a spot kick, or attempting to get an opponent sent off is far more likely to be decisive than information gleaned on a training ground.
To me its a storm in a tea cup, if you're going to clamp down on cheating, good, but start on the playing field. | | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:27 - May 14 with 1569 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
There will hopefully be sanctions against the staff involved. As always (See Sheff Weds and Leicester), it’s the fans that are punished. Having made the playoff final that would be heartbreaking to be pulled out because of cheating non playing staff. | | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 14:00 - May 14 with 1403 views | Basuco |
On the grounds that a £200,000 fine was not a big enough deterrent, which is not surprising when you look at the different level of income between the Championship and PL, there surely needs to be a sporting sanction like removal from the playoff final and Middlesbrough replace Southampton. That would be a major deterrent. |  | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 14:17 - May 14 with 1341 views | StokieBlue |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 12:15 - May 14 by RIPbobby |
This is a really tough one for me. Is it cheating as such? It's not as if they played with 15 players or the like. I bet the data they have on squads is ultra in depth these days. I bet they even know what their farts smell like.
Interesting to see how this pans out. |
It's literally cheating, there is an EFL rule about it.
What a very strange take on the situation.
SB [Post edited 14 May 14:18]
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 14:53 - May 14 with 1248 views | BlueBoots |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 13:03 - May 14 by CaptainAhab |
The more I think about it, the more I think Southampton are going to be kicked out of the playoffs. It's blatant rule breaking, whether or not they gained much advantage, and they haven't denied it. If they simply get a fine, then Middlesbrough will quite rightly be furious and the saga will run and run. Kick Saints out and a line can be drawn under it. I don't think there'd even be much complaint, apart from a bit of lip service, judging by the feeling of some of their fans.
The only other consideration is whether other clubs, Millwall and Wrexham for example, kick off about it. Possibly a points deduction for Southampton next season too could help appease them. |
Southampton's last 19 games was a run of 15 wins, 4 draws and 0 defeats; mention in the article of 2 teams who suspect something similar may have happened to them, but I'm guessing a few others may now be looking back and thinking that Southampton may have gained a tactical advantage from more than just "doing their homework".
I can't see how Southampton can be permitted a shot at promotion; if they were to reach the Prem, a points deduction just benefits other Prem teams, not the team that were cheated, and even with a points deduction the financial advantage gained by a Prem promotion would still make it worthwhile (the way money works in football, can't see how their share would be withheld or even passed on to the Championship teams who missed out due to them gaining an unfair advantage)
Could it have been a one-off? Possibly, but most top level analysis teams will be process driven, so I'd find it hard to believe it was suddenly implemented for this particular game. The fact that the details for the play-off final have been put on hold makes me think there's a lot more to follow regarding Spygate... |  |
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| This is a good piece on Spygate on 16:22 - May 14 with 1074 views | itfc48 |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 14:53 - May 14 by BlueBoots |
Southampton's last 19 games was a run of 15 wins, 4 draws and 0 defeats; mention in the article of 2 teams who suspect something similar may have happened to them, but I'm guessing a few others may now be looking back and thinking that Southampton may have gained a tactical advantage from more than just "doing their homework".
I can't see how Southampton can be permitted a shot at promotion; if they were to reach the Prem, a points deduction just benefits other Prem teams, not the team that were cheated, and even with a points deduction the financial advantage gained by a Prem promotion would still make it worthwhile (the way money works in football, can't see how their share would be withheld or even passed on to the Championship teams who missed out due to them gaining an unfair advantage)
Could it have been a one-off? Possibly, but most top level analysis teams will be process driven, so I'd find it hard to believe it was suddenly implemented for this particular game. The fact that the details for the play-off final have been put on hold makes me think there's a lot more to follow regarding Spygate... |
It has been suggested that part of Boro’s case includes a testimony from an ex Southampton member of staff who states this has been regular practice. I know they won’t want to from a performance point of view but Southampton probably need to sack their manager and his staff if he’s the one that’s driven the spying. | | | |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 16:30 - May 14 with 1038 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
| This is a good piece on Spygate on 16:22 - May 14 by itfc48 |
It has been suggested that part of Boro’s case includes a testimony from an ex Southampton member of staff who states this has been regular practice. I know they won’t want to from a performance point of view but Southampton probably need to sack their manager and his staff if he’s the one that’s driven the spying. |
So the "biggest game in football" (from a financial outcome perspective), is delayed and possibly won't even happen, because of Southampton cheating.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/fo
Honestly, the penalty for this has to be massive. Relegate them to L1, give Oxford a reprieve. |  |
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