Need to know
The Tigers are just one game away from the Premier League
Wembley Stadium is set to host Hull City vs Southampton, or will it?(Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The football world continues to watch on with intrigue ahead of next Saturday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley, which is scheduled to kick off at 4:30pm.
Hull City face Southampton under the arch, but concerns remain that the game could yet be moved owing to the ongoing disciplinary proceedings involving Southampton, who were charged by the EFL for breaching spying rules.
The South Coast club are alleged to have been caught spying just two days before they met Middlesbrough in the first leg of their semi-final at the Riverside Stadium.
That game ended 0-0, though Tonda Eckert’s side won the second leg 2-1 at St Mary’s on Tuesday night with a Shea Charles goal deep into extra-time.
Here’s a look at where things are.
How did we get here?
It’s alleged that Southampton sent a member of their coaching staff to film one of Boro’s pre-match training sessions ahead of the first leg. Photos of William Salt, who has worked with Tonda Eckert this season, was identified by the Daily Mail as the member of staff caught at Rockcliffe by a member of Boro’s media team, before running off to the nearby golf club, owned by Steve Gibson.
They have been charged with breaching rule 127, which prohibits anyone from the opposition club to watch training within 72 hours of the scheduled fixture. A three-person panel are expected to have their hearing on or before Tuesday. That investigation is understood to have been managed by Sport Resolutions, who provide mediation.
Under the rules, which were brought in after Leeds United were found to have spied on Derby County, clubs found guilty can be given a hefty fine, docked points or kicked out of the competition. All options are basically on the table.
What have Southampton said?
Chief executive Phil Parsons, perhaps unsurprisingly, requested time to carry out an internal review and urged people not to draw conclusions before the full facts are known in a lengthy statement.
“The club is fully cooperating with the EFL and the Disciplinary Commission, whilst also undertaking an internal review to ensure that all facts and context are properly understood,” he said.
“Given the intensity of the fixture schedule and the short turnaround between matches, we have requested time to complete that process thoroughly and responsibly.
“We understand the discussion and speculation that has followed over recent days, but we also believe it is important that the full context is established before conclusions are drawn.”
Have City said anything?
Owner Acun Ilicali, sporting director Jared Dublin and boss Sergej Jakirovic have been playing it relatively cool over the past few days, instead preferring to focus on preparing for the game, while the Tigers’ supporters groups have called on the game to go ahead.
Speaking to Hull Live, Dublin said that full focus from the coaching staff and players remains on preparing for Southampton at Wembley on Saturday.
“No, not a good look for football, not a good look for the EFL for sure, unfortunately,” Dublin told Hull Live. “At this moment in time, we’re preparing for Southampton, that’s all we can do. We don’t want to go to Wembley with any excuses on this, that, distraction, noise, so the message to the players, the message to the staff is, we’re preparing for Southampton away at Wembley and see what comes.
“We’ll let the distractions be over with Middlesbrough and Southampton; we don’t want any in our house. All the players I spoke to today (Thursday) at the canteen, and the gaffer as well, the message was that we’re preparing for Southampton, that’s what we’re doing until we’re told otherwise.”
How about Boro?
It’s taken a few days, but Boro have come out swinging. If anyone was in any doubt about where they stand, the Teesside club have called for Southampton to be booted out of the play-offs, putting pressure on the EFL and the independent panel to issue the most serious sporting sanction.
This was the key segment in the statement from the Teesside club: “The conduct at issue, namely the observation and recording of our training session ahead of a fixture of such significance, goes to the heart of sporting integrity and fair competition. In these circumstances, the only appropriate response is a sporting sanction which would prevent Southampton FC from participating in the EFL Championship play-off final.”
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Are the EFL saying anything?
After Hull Live reported on Thursday morning that the final could yet be moved, the EFL reiterated that they’re planning for the game to go ahead, but warned fans that it could be moved ahead of tickets going on sale. Should it be moved, the following Tuesday evening is understood to be a potential, but that would be a nightmare for all concerned.
“As the proceedings are being conducted by an Independent Disciplinary Commission, the EFL does not control the proposed timetable,” the EFL said on Thursday.
Notwithstanding this, the EFL continues to plan on the basis that the Championship Play-Off Final will take place as scheduled on Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time confirmed as 4.30pm.
Supporters should, however, be aware that the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the fixture.
The EFL has a number of contingency plans should they be required, including consideration of any appeal process.
Have we heard from any lawyers?
Stewarts, the UK’s leading litigation-only law firm, has delved into the details of the information currently in the public domain and has compiled its conclusion.
“If Southampton is found to have breached Rule 127.1, it can only be said to have been a deliberate act committed with the intention of obtaining a sporting advantage over Middlesbrough in a football match that Southampton went on to win in a knock-out competition.
“Taken together, if a sporting sanction is appropriate for a sporting breach, there seems to be a persuasive argument that, in the context of knock-out football, the only effective sporting sanction would be expulsion.
“The EFL Commission’s decision is eagerly awaited, given the high stakes involved and imminent conclusion of the Championship season with the play-off final. In the meantime, the hopes and dreams of many fans hang in the balance.”
What happens next?
Both Hull City and Southampton will return to training on Monday, ready to continue their preparation for Saturday’s game. Middlesbrough also remain in training in case the disciplinary panel decide to kick out Eckert and his players and reinstate them, though there is no assurance that would be the case.
Media commitments are well underway and will continue from Monday, while City will carry on their plans for a host of fan experiences around Wembley.
In the background, the disciplinary panel will continue to do the work they need to do, and until an outcome is made public, everything continues as normal. When that actually comes, nobody knows.
How do you feel about the current situation? Have your say in the comments below…
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