Southampton asks for more time to investigate the spying controversy

Southampton have asked for more time to complete an internal review after being accused of spying on Middlesbrough’s practice sessions ahead of the teams’ matches in the Championship play-offs.

In a statement on Tuesday, Southampton said it was «fully cooperating» with English football authorities after being accused of breaching regulations on Friday following allegations that unauthorized filming of Middlesbrough’s training had taken place.

The English football league has asked an independent disciplinary committee to hold a hearing “as soon as possible”.

The teams drew 0-0 in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals on Saturday, with the second leg taking place in Southampton on Tuesday. The winner will face Hull in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on May 23, with a place in the Premier League – and a windfall of at least 200 million pounds ($270 million) in future revenue – at stake.

“The club is cooperating fully with the EFL and the disciplinary committee, while also conducting an internal review to ensure all facts and context are properly understood,” Southampton chief executive Phil Parsons said in the statement.

«Given the intensity of the match schedule and the short turnaround time between matches, we have requested time to complete that process thoroughly and responsibly. We understand the discussion and speculation that has taken place in recent days, but we also believe it is important that the full context is established before any conclusions are drawn.»

Parsons said he was confident the club would remain united during the controversy.

“Our focus is now completely on tonight’s match,” he wrote. “This is the time for all of us to get behind the team and create another special atmosphere at St Mary’s.”

The EFL said the charges against Southampton relate to rules that require clubs to “act with the utmost good faith towards each other” and prohibit a club from “observing or attempting to observe the training of another club within 72 hours of a scheduled match” between the teams.

It is the second spy controversy in the championship in recent years.

In 2019, the EFL fined Leeds 200,000 pounds (then $259,000) for spying on one of Derby’s training sessions ahead of a match between the teams.

Marcelo Bielsa, then manager of Leeds, accepted responsibility because a club employee spied on Derby’s training.

Published on May 12, 2026