Spying drama rocks English Championship as Southampton charged for observing Middlesbrough

The English Football League (EFL) has charged second-tier Southampton after rivals Middlesbrough complained of spying ahead of a championship promotion play-off semifinal first-leg clash.

The two sides are due to play at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on Saturday, with the second leg at St Mary's on Tuesday.

"Southampton Football Club has today been charged with a breach of EFL Regulations, and the matter will be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission," the EFL said in a statement on Friday.

"This follows a request from the EFL for the club's observations after a complaint from Middlesbrough relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property ahead of the two clubs meeting [on Saturday]".

The EFL referred to regulations barring clubs from "observing, or attempting to observe, another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two clubs".

Regulations also request that clubs "act towards each other with the utmost good faith".

Spying is not new in football.

At the Paris Olympic Games, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) removed women's national soccer head coach Bev Priestman following an alleged drone spying scandal.

Two team staffers were sent home for allegedly using a drone to spy on a New Zealand team practice.

In 2019, the EFL fined Leeds 200,000 pounds ($376,00) for spying on one of Derby's training sessions ahead of a game between the teams.

Marcelo Bielsa, who was manager of Leeds at the time, accepted responsibility for having a club employee spy on Derby's practice. In a detailed, hour-long news conference, Bielsa later admitted to having watched at least one of each of his opponents' training sessions.

In handing out the fine, the EFL said Leeds's conduct "fell significantly short of the standards expected by the EFL and must not be repeated".

The league said Southampton would normally have 14 days to respond, but in this case, it would ask the Independent Disciplinary Commission to list a hearing as soon as possible.

There was no immediate comment from either club.

Hull City and Millwall played the other semifinal first leg on Friday, with the score ending goalless. They play the second leg at the New Den in London on Monday.

Millwall finished the season third overall, with Southampton fourth, Middlesbrough fifth and Hull sixth.

Champions Coventry City and runners-up Ipswich Town have secured automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The play-off final is often referred to as the richest game in football, such are the financial rewards for competing for even just one season in England's top flight.

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