Saints in danger of being thrown out of the promotion final

"The Richest Game in Football" is a popular nickname for the Championship final, which decides which team will be promoted to the Premier League. The game is important mainly due to the fact that the winner will get between 135 and 265 million pounds for entering the England’s highest league and every season, Wembley is packed with fans who are either joyful or tearful after 90 minutes, depending the result of their beloved team. But this season is a bit different as a big scandal is hovering over the final game. In fact, the ramifications of this scandal are so big that, even the game is just a few days away, nobody knows who the finalists are and when the game will be played exactly!

The first team to secure a trip to Wembley is Hull, who defeated Millwall, but the other semi-final is the problem. The game between Southampton and Middlesbrough ended with Saints’ extra time winner, but before and after the match, a ‘spygate’ was the main story of the week and now, with new information which were revealed, the result of the semi-final could be changed. Southampton have been charged by the EFL for spying on Middlesbrough's training session ahead of their Championship play-off semi-final. Daily Mail Sport broke the story and the league confirmed in a statement late on Friday that the club had breached two of its regulations. The Saints sent a junior intern to allegedly spy on the session which is against the rules.

The game went ahead and Southampton won, but after the win, the Saints are now in real danger of being thrown out of the competition. A photo emerged showing William Salt allegedly engaging in prohibited activities — it is forbidden to photograph or record an opponent’s training session within 72 hours before a match. There was no time to waste, and disciplinary proceedings against Southampton were immediately launched. A date has already been set for the disciplinary commission hearing — Tuesday, May 19. Not much time remains, and the situation could even affect the scheduled date of the final itself.

Southampton could face three possible punishments: a financial fine, a points deduction, or disqualification. Naturally, Middlesbrough F.C. are reportedly pushing for the latter outcome, because it would send them into the final and give them a chance to fight for promotion to the Premier League despite losing in the playoff semifinals. If it is proven that Southampton spied on opposition teams on several occasions, as a whistleblower is thought to have indicated in a statement to be used in evidence, then Tonda Eckert’s side would likely be removed from the competition and Boro would take their place in the final. The final was originally supposed to be played next Saturday. However, because the evidence will only be reviewed and the witness heard on Tuesday, there is now a significant possibility that the match could be postponed.