Spygate commission accuses Southampton of ‘determined plan from the top down’

Commission gives reasons behind playoff expulsion

Tonda Eckert ‘specifically authorised’ spying on rivals

The independent disciplinary commission investigating the spygate affair found that Southampton had formed a “contrived and determined plan from the top down” to obtain illicit information for sporting advantage, as they explained their decision to kick the club out of the Championship playoffs.

In a strongly worded assessment of the disciplinary process, the commission also revealed that Southampton had initially denied filming Middlesbrough in training before their playoff semi-final, before ultimately accepting the charges, and that the Saints manager, Tonda Eckert, had “specifically authorised” the spying on three occasions during the season.