Credit: Imago

Oliver Walton

Sat 16 May 2026 9:19, UK

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Keith Hackett believes that Southampton will get away with a fine and be allowed to take part in the Championship play-off final despite Middlesbrough’s demands to ban them from the match.

An independent panel is currently investigating the Saints after a member of staff allegedly spied on Middlesbrough ahead of the first leg of their play-off semi-final tie last week.

Southampton’s progression to the final against Hull City in the second leg at St Mary’s has heightened the importance of the investigation, with an outcome expected before Tuesday, 19 May.

Boro released a bombshell statement on Friday which insisted that the “only appropriate response” to the claims is to ban Tonda Eckert’s side from participating in the showpiece affair at Wembley.

The EFL are going ahead as normal before an official conclusion is reached, and former PGMOL chief Hackett believes that Boro’s demands will fall on deaf ears ahead of the clash.

Southampton expected to receive ‘hefty’ fine rather than play-off expulsion

Middlesbrough’s players have remained in full training ahead of an official verdict being reached, with Kim Hellberg clearly feeling cheated by Southampton after his passionate post-match interview last week.

Hackett revealed that Southampton could be thrown out of the play-offs if found guilty when the claims were first made, but now has predicted the independent panel to allow them to face Hull next weekend.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Boro’s statement, the ex-FIFA ref predicted a fine for the Saints, saying: “The EFL will not want to lose the income from a game at Wembley. This, frankly, could get very messy, and the legals will be on notice whichever way the decision goes.

“Despite the serious nature of the alleged broken rules, I suspect that they (the independent panel) might well be leaning towards a hefty fine, rather than Southampton being thrown out of the competition.

“They will have to consider if Southampton gained any unfair advantage. The alleged intruder watching the training session will no doubt have been analysing Middlesborough set piece plays at corner kicks and free kicks.

“The Chairman of Middlesbrough is a man with great experience in football and highly respected. Whatever the outcome, I expect it to be challenged.”

What is the precedent for a spying punishment in the EFL?

Knowledgeable EFL supporters will remember a similar situation from 2019, where a member of Leeds United’s staff was alleged to have spied on a Derby County training session before they met in Championship action.

Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa publicly admitted to the offence, and they were charged around £200,000 by the authorities for breaking the rules.

The difference between that situation and this one is stark, however, as Leeds’ actions led the EFL to change their rules and specifically outlaw clubs from observing opposition training sessions within 72 hours of a fixture.

Southampton are alleged to have broken that exact rule, so it certainly seems likely that the possible fine handed to them is greater than the one Leeds were given seven years ago.