Southampton appealed their expulsion from the Championship play-off final after admitting spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough were reinstated and will face Hull at Wembley for a place in the Premier League, while Coventry and Ipswich secured automatic promotion. Southampton will also be docked four points next season for multiple breaches involving unauthorized filming of other clubs’ training sessions. Phil Parsons apologized to other clubs and Southampton supporters, saying they deserved better. Matthew Le Tissier criticized the punishment as not fitting the offense. Southampton’s appeal will be heard by an independent league arbitration panel later on Wednesday, and the club said it cannot accept a sanction with no proportion to the offence.
"Southampton said on Wednesday they had appealed against their expulsion from the Championship play-off final as the punishment was "manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game". An English Football League independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday kicked the Saints out after they admitted spying on a training session of semi-final opponents Middlesbrough. Boro have now been reinstated and are set to face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League, with Championship winners Coventry and second-placed Ipswich having secured automatic promotion at the end of the regular season."
"Southampton will also be docked four points next season after admitting multiple breaches of regulations related to the "unauthorised filming of other clubs' training" sessions, according to a statement from the EFL. Saints chief executive Phil Parsons apologised on Wednesday "to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the Southampton supporters", whom he said "deserved better from the club". Meanwhile former Saints star Le Tissier, who has been working with the club in an advisory capacity, told the Sun: "It feels like you've been put on trial for murder when all you've done is stolen a Mars bar from the corner shop.""
"Southampton's appeal will be heard by an independent league arbitration panel later on Wednesday. A club statement added that the Saints "cannot accept a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence". Parsons said the club had been "denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million ($37". Southampton manager Tonda Eckert may also face personal sanctions."
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