Hull City are set to face Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final (Image: Getty)
Hull City owner Akun Ilikari has revealed that he has been told the club will be offered immediate promotion to the Premier League in the aftermath of the Spygate scandal between Southampton and Middlesbrough. The Tigers changed opponents a few days before the playoff finals, making their preparations to face the Saints hopeless.
Southampton have been found guilty of breaching EFL regulations after they were caught spying on Middlesbrough training ahead of their play-off semi-final. They also admitted two other counts of spying on opposing teams, resulting in their exclusion from the playoffs. Saints are expected to launch an appeal over the severity of the penalty on Wednesday, meaning Middlesbrough’s return to competition is not yet 100 per cent certain.
As the team prepares to face Boro this weekend, Illikari admitted his lawyer had advised Hull not to play in the play-off final and move straight to the top flight following Southampton’s sending off.
“Under normal circumstances, two teams would advance to the final and one would be disqualified,” Illikali said. “Our lawyer’s opinion is that we should appeal directly to the Premier League, but we are currently considering it. I can’t say anything definitive. It’s a bit of a sticky situation.”
“We have been preparing for the match against Southampton for 10 days. All the planning, analysis and work was focused on Southampton. Now that there are only a few days left until the final, the opponent has changed. Tomorrow the players will have a day off and Thursday will be our last real training session. We will prepare for our new opponent in one training session.”
Southampton are disappointed with the level of sanction they received and will highlight issues with decision-making in their appeal. Saints manager Phil Parsons issued a statement supporting Southampton’s claims.
CEO Parsons said: “We have appealed yesterday’s decision by the Independent Disciplinary Panel to expel Southampton Football Club from the Sky Bet Championship play-offs and impose a four-point deduction for the 2026/27 season.
“Before we move on to that appeal, we would like to address our supporters, players and the wider football community directly and unambiguously.
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Hull City owner Akun Ilikari is negotiating with lawyers (Image: PA)
“What happened was wrong and the club has admitted a breach of EFL regulations 3.4 and 127. We are sorry to the other clubs involved and above all to the Southampton supporters, whose exceptional loyalty and support this season has meant they have deserved more from the club.”
“We have co-operated fully with the EFL’s investigation and disciplinary process. Following the appeal, we will write to the EFL asking them to volunteer to join a working group on the practice and enforcement of Regulation 127 across the Championship. Repentance without change is empty and we intend to demonstrate change.”
“On the appeal itself, we accept that a sanction is necessary. What we cannot accept is a sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
“Leeds United were fined £200,000 for a similar offence, while Southampton were denied the opportunity to play a match worth over £200m that meant so much to our staff, players and supporters.
“Given the financial impact of yesterday’s judgment, we believe this is the largest fine ever imposed on an English football club, by a significant amount.
“Luton Town’s 30-point penalty in 2008/09 was the toughest sporting sanction ever imposed in the English game and was imposed on a club already in League Two, with no comparable income at stake.
“Derby County were deducted 21 points in 2021 and lost their place in the Championship. Everton ended up being deducted six points in 2023/24 and suffered a loss of £124.5 million, but this figure dwarfs the figure taken from Southampton in just one afternoon.”
“The highest fine ever imposed by the Premier League was £10.75 million against Chelsea in March this year, and despite paying an undisclosed £47.5 million over seven years, it did not involve any sporting sanctions.
“We said this not to downplay what happened at this club, but because we recognize that it was wrong. We said that because proportionality itself is a principle of natural justice. The committee had the right to impose a sanction.
“We would argue that we had no right to impose a sanction that was clearly disproportionate to any previous sanction in the history of the English game. Our appeal will be heard today and we will provide further updates in due course.”
