Kim Hellberg, Middlesbrough's manager, said it 'breaks my heart' after his side were eliminated by Southampton — but he was not referring to the 2-1 extra-time defeat at St Mary's. Hellberg was talking about the so-called Spygate scandal: the English Football League has charged Southampton with breaching rules after an individual was observed at one of Middlesbrough's final training sessions before last Saturday's first-leg tie at the Riverside.
Hellberg said that if his staff had not intercepted the person who had travelled from the south, he would have been left wondering whether Southampton's tactics had been purely sporting. Middlesbrough feel aggrieved and insist a fine alone would not be sufficient redress.
Normally talk would already be focused on the Championship play-off final on 23 May, when the winners of the semi-final will meet Hull City for a place in the Premier League. But that fixture is now overshadowed by a disciplinary process that could alter who actually plays at Wembley.
Southampton have asked for time to carry out an internal review. The EFL, however, is pushing for a quick resolution because logistical planning for the final — ticket sales, travel and th
