Southampton Spygate: EFL has ‘created a monster’ with ‘massively disproportionate’ punishment

Southampton have been hit with a “massively disproportionate” punishment after being removed from the Championship play-offs. 

That is according to former Everton, Aston Villa and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, who exclusively told Football Insider the EFL has “created a monster” following its handling of the situation. 

Southampton were charged by the EFL with observing one of Middlesbrough’s training sessions before the two sides met in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final encounter at the Riverside Stadium. 

Tonda Eckert’s side went on to beat the Teesside club 2-1 on aggregate, setting up a final showdown against Hull City. 

However, following a hearing conducted by an independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday (19 May), Southampton have now been removed from the play-offs and handed a four-point deduction for next season. 

Have Southampton been unfairly treated in spygate saga?

Southampton lost their appeal against the punishment on Wednesday (20 May), having admitted to spying on two other clubs alongside Middlesbrough this season. 

Kim Hellberg’s side will now face Hull in the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday (23 May), with promotion to the Premier League on the line. 

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Wyness discussed the decision to remove Southampton from the play-offs. 

“It was massively disproportionate in terms of the penalty,” said Wyness. 

“There seems to have been a rush to judgement and a febrile media atmosphere that has caused this overreaction, and I believe it is an overreaction when you compare it to some of the issues in the game right now that are going on in terms of what people would term cheating. 

“There are many different areas of the game where integrity is still at stake, and I believe they’ve just gone too far with this one. The ramifications and ripples from this will be immense for quite a long time. They've created a monster here, and it’s going to take a long time to resolve this.” 

Why Middlesbrough should not be involved in play-off final

Wyness believes Middlesbrough shouldn’t have been reinstated to the play-offs after suffering defeat against Southampton. 

“I would have preferred Hull to have been given a bye through the final,” said Wyness. 

“Middlesbrough lost their play-off game. But then of course, the EFL is looking at the revenue that would be generated, and the other commercial concerns, with the TV contracts and all those sorts of things. 

“I can see both sides as to why they’ve gone with this route. But was it the right solution? You could argue it both ways. 

“But having a game on Saturday, there will be all these question marks as to what happens to the winner.”