The potential prize for winning the play-off to reach the premiership is £200 million. If Southampton only incur a fine, and then play in and win the playoff, what deterrent is that to stop other clubs spying? They could argue they’ll take the hit because the ultimate prize is worth it.

Felipe Massa is still litigating the 2008 F1 championship!

Would be brilliant if Bournemouth could be in the Champions League next season 😲👏

a4e: they'd want compensation.

It can’t end up in court before the playoff final on Saturday…. By then it’s too late, Hull or Boro will be in the PL 🤷🏻‍♂️

Arsenal fans being put through the wringer for the second night in a row, 15 minutes plus injury time away from winning the league.

However carefully you pick an independent panel, they may well go ahead and be bastards giving you the wrong answer. It has happened once, it can happen again.

It feels to me like "Give them a harsh penalty in the knowledge it will get appealed down". It'll end up in court either way as Middlesbrough will surely take it to court if Southampton's appeal means they get to play the final.

Interesting view - but I just can't see that expulsion (and all of the financial consequences flowing from it) can in any sense be deemed a proportionate fine. One thing for sure this won't end with the appeal - I'm sure it will end up in court - the stakes are too high for it not to.

RK - and some of what the lawyers make is our money.

Yes the lawyers will make loads from this. And Soton fans walked all over by this decision.

LOL Surrey Bob thinks Chelsea will play Wall next season!

There is a pinned post on a Middlesbrough forum which is written by a lawyer, it’s a long read but very interesting. It covers what punishment is appropriate and points out that league football is over and that the playoffs are a knock out competition and different punishments may be applicable. [Link]

The panel can do whatever they like and the EFL has to accept it. I imagine they are advising everyone to take no action till after the appeal decision.

Very, very dirty. Gooooooooooooooooooooal!

Nah they can’t overturn the decision - as pointed out, you can’t have people buying tickets and arranging travel and hotels and then tell them to cancel all of those things and then tell them to book it all up again…. Chaos…

Wanting Chelsea to win a game makes me feel dirty.

Rage Gait - they didn’t lose all three of the matches they admitted to spying on the oppo club prior to the games.

Ryan Wintle won’t be at Cardiff next season but was regarded as their player of the season by many. Dunno whether we can afford his wages*

I can't believe that the punishment will be upheld at tomorrow's appeal hearing. It seems completely disproportionate. They lost all three of the matches that they admitted to filming - so it's difficult to argue that they gained any advantage. Frankly unbelievably stupid to have done it but even more so to have been caught - why didn't they just film with Meta Ray Bans????

Time to watch Chelsea -v- Tottenham. I hope Tottenham win as I would hate this game to deprive the Millwall fans from welcoming the Chelsea lot to the Den

I'm sure they will choose the 'independent' appeal panel with care. It is of course correct for it to be independent the law makers should not be the law adjudicators.

I would have thought a £1m fine and 6-9pts deduction next season - whatever league they are in - would have been sufficient

Shirley worse to go back on the decision now as Saints must be cancelling travel and accommodation like crazy.

Oops Citeh