BREAKING: Middlesbrough say Southampton should not take part in Championship play-off final after being charged with spying ahead of semi-final first leg between clubs.

Yes Southampton shouldn't have done it but there are bigger examples of cheating in almost every match that actually effect the result. Boro are being absolute chancers here and it isn't a good look

Come on! How much did the spying genuinely benefit them? Yeah it shouldn’t have happened, is against the rules, cheating whatever … plenty of cheating goes on, on the pitch too but you don’t just give the game to the opponent. Southampton are through to the final, Boro aren’t. Simple as, get over it, end of!

This is becoming a bit embarrassing now. Of course Boro dont want them to participate. They were beaten over 2 legs. Lost in all this are the Hull players and fans who many will be out of pocket because of any delay. Give Southampton a fine and get on with it

Middlesborough are overplaying their hand. The alleged spying didn't have any material influence on the matches. Southampton won across the two legs; Boro never played to their potential or took their chances. Gibson is rapidly losing any sympathy they had with general fans.

Fair enough, but that's not why they lost though. Southampton were better over both legs

Cry more Boro! I was embarrassed as Saints fan that we would even watch their training session but Boro fans should be more embarrassed about this!

Leeds United spied on Derby in 2019. Got fined £200k. No points deduction. No expulsion. But the rules changed AFTER that. Now spying is explicitly banned.

Some guy with a phone didnt stop your players from working, no shot at goal since 68 minute and a floated in ball ends up in the back of the net because your defence didn't press, didn't clear the ball and your goalkeeper just watched it go in. That why you lost

Grow up you fucking imbeciles I don’t even support either club but the pathetic performance on the pitch has nothing to do with what Southampton have done. Nothing will happen other than a likely fine

Middlesbrough are a bunch of whinging fannies. They should be relegated to league 1.

I see and hear a lot of people saying “Southampton spying didn’t affect the result” If there is no benefit in spying why would they send a scout the length of the country and risk a punishment, even if it is just a hefty fine, for no benefit. They obviously aimed to gain some advantage from it.

This is the reason they’re not getting promoted no matter how hard they try with the media 👍🏼

I'm not a fan of either but i agree that Southampton should be kicked out the final, especially after that bastard Taylor-Harwood Bellis was winding the boro players up with binoculars celebration

Boro have no shame We remember when they called a match off against #NUFC because of an overnight frost It was obviously nowt to do with their massive injury’s list at the time

Nonsense. Middlesbrough had 180 mins to beat Southampton. They failed. Sour grapes

The fairest idea is to forfeit Southampton and promote Hull.

A kid with an iPhone videoing from behind a tree at least 150 metres from the 1st team training pitch has caused all this bleeding heart angst? Grow a pair FFS.

40 odd shots and 1 goal over the 2 legs is why boro lost not because of spying

Trying to influence the outcome of the EFL investigation, with the threat of legal action to follow. Just a matter of time till on-pitch results are challenged in court. Bad ref decisions or VAR, or a 'take one for the team' tactical foul denying a key goal

Not really breaking news is it. @SkySportsNews and @talkSPORT are really milking this for all its worth.

Should of made this statement before the semi final. No statement if they won. Embarrassing

Guess they have to show that southampton has benefitted from the spying first

As a Boro fan, the club should learn to get over it as we screwed up with not being able to win our home games against Oxford and Pompy. Otherwise we wouldn't have been in the play-offs to start with.

With out checking ,bios from south v north ,if your happy people can cheat in a sport we love ,its time to leave.

I say Middlesbrough should have had automatic promotion but they blew it!

Wow, who would have thought Middlesborough would want Middlesborough to go through instead of Southampton?

Southampton might be the first test of the new rule. And the punishment could be historic. 💀

This is embarrassing from Boro.

Please - faux anger players cheat all the time . Would Boro accept being expelled from competition if one of their players was shown to have dived in attempt to win penalty ?? Much ado over what seems laughable given Boro beaten over 2 legs fair and square !

So if Boro knocked them out they would have gloated and took the piss Only spitting the dummy out because they lost just like when Wolves took Edwards. Never known a club be so over dramatic ffs 🤦‍♂️

It shouldn’t have happened BUT Southampton were the better team over the 2 legs and deservedly went through. This is just sour grapes from Middlesbrough and they need to stop it.

Well there’s a surprise What Southampton did was wrong but wheres the proof they actually benefited and gained any advantage in the games against Middlesbrough Leeds received a £200k fine if Southampton are disqualified the loss could be in the millions totally disproportionate

Only fair outcome is to kick Southampton out of the final. They have cheated and impacted the integrity of the competition. A fine is not sufficient and it would send a message to other clubs to try the same disgusting tactics to try and win

So Hull get promoted without kicking a ball?, Boro lost over two games, this person didn't kick a ball, didn't head a ball, make a tackle,or goal line clearance, basically did nothing that had any effect on the results of either game, so yes punish saints, but Boro lost