SOUTHAMPTON, UK — Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert could learn the outcome of a Football Association investigation on Thursday following the club’s “Spygate” scandal.

Southampton were expelled from last season’s Championship play-offs by an independent English Football League commission after admitting that staff had spied on three opponents’ training sessions.

The punishment ended Southampton’s hopes of competing for promotion to the Premier League, which would have been worth at least £200 million to the club. The same commission also deducted four points from Southampton for the current campaign.

Eckert now faces the possibility of further disciplinary action after the Football Association charged him with misconduct in July in connection with the same incidents.

The German coach has admitted that Southampton staff were sent to observe training sessions belonging to Oxford United and Ipswich Town during the regular season. Staff were later sent to watch Middlesbrough’s training before the teams met in the Championship play-off semi-final in May.

The scandal became public after a Southampton intern was challenged by Middlesbrough staff during the spying operation.

Eckert has said he was unaware that such activity was prohibited under EFL regulations. However, an independent EFL regulatory commission concluded that young members of staff had felt pressured to carry out the assignments.

The commission described the operation as a “contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage”.

Southampton chief executive Phil Parsons said the club hoped the FA would take into account the punishment Southampton had already received.

“What we hope as a club is they actually recognise where we are at the moment, and what we’ve already been through, because I think it has to be taken into account,” Parsons said.

He said the club had suffered significant financial consequences from missing out on promotion, while also facing substantial legal costs.

“We’ve been hurt,” Parsons said. “I think it’s one of the largest sanctions ever when it comes to football, or even sporting, history.”

Eckert also discussed the case in an interview with the BBC published on Monday. He described the punishment as severe and said he had apologised publicly for his actions.

“It’s been a big, big punishment,” Eckert said. “Absolutely unheard of in the history of sports.”

He added that he had asked for forgiveness and acknowledged his responsibility for what happened, while saying he believed the punishment had placed a heavy burden on Southampton during the previous season.

The FA’s decision could determine whether Eckert faces an additional sanction following the penalties already imposed on Southampton by the independent EFL commission.

SOURCE: ITV Meridian, September 24, 2026.