{"id":34107,"date":"2026-05-20T20:12:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T20:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/20\/spygate-furious-shipowner-claims-lawyer-thinks-he-should-be-promoted-after-southampton-axe\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T20:12:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T20:12:29","slug":"spygate-furious-shipowner-claims-lawyer-thinks-he-should-be-promoted-after-southampton-axe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/20\/spygate-furious-shipowner-claims-lawyer-thinks-he-should-be-promoted-after-southampton-axe\/","title":{"rendered":"Spygate: Furious shipowner claims lawyer thinks he should be promoted after Southampton axe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hull City made a late change of opponents after Southampton were expelled from the play-off final after being found guilty of breaking rules in the Spygate scandal.<\/h2>\n
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May 20, 2026 15:41<\/span>Updated May 20, 2026 16:23<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Hull owner Akun Ilikari speaks out over Spygate results (Image: Mark Cosgrove\/News Images\/NurPhoto via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n
Hull City owner Akun Ilikari has revealed that the club has been advised to consider 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.<\/p>\n
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 them being excluded from the playoffs and starting next season with a four-point deduction.<\/p>\n
Saints immediately launched an appeal over the severity of the penalty, which means Middlesbrough’s return to competition is not yet 100 per cent certain. That will be heard on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The team are due to play Boro this weekend, but Illikari admitted that he had been advised by his lawyer that Hull should skip the play-off final and move straight to the top flight following Southampton’s sending off.<\/p>\n
“Under normal circumstances, two teams would have reached the final and one would have been disqualified,” Ilikari was quoted as saying in Turkish media. “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.”<\/p>\n
read more: Spygate Live: Hull City owner speaks out over Middlesbrough play-off final after meeting with lawyer<\/span><\/span>read more: Southampton issue Spygate apology and appeal offer update after play-off exit<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
“We have been preparing for the match against Southampton for 10 days. All the planning, analysis and work was focused on Southampton. With only days left until the final, the opponents have now changed. Tomorrow the players have a day off and Thursday is the last real training session. We will prepare for our new opponents in one training session.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
CEO Parsons said: “We have appealed yesterday’s decision by the Independent Disciplinary Committee 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 proceed with that appeal, we would like to appeal directly and unambiguously to our supporters, players and the wider football community.”<\/p>\n
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Tonda Eckert could face long-term suspension (Image: Robin Jones\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
“Regarding the appeal itself: We accept that a sanction is necessary. What we cannot accept is a sanction that is disproportionate to the offence. Leeds United were fined \u00a3200,000 for a similar offence, while Southampton were denied the opportunity to play a match worth over \u00a3200m that meant so much to our staff, players and supporters.”<\/p>\n
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“Given the financial impact of yesterday’s ruling, this is considered to be a fairly significant penalty for an English football club. Luton Town’s 30-point deduction in the 2008\/09 season was the toughest sporting sanction in English football to date, but it was imposed on a club already in League Two and without comparable revenue at stake.<\/p>\n
\u201cDerby County suffered a 21-point deduction in 2021 and lost their Championship status. Everton\u2019s final six-point deduction for the 2023\/24 season followed a loss of \u00a3124.5 million, but this number That figure dwarfs the amount of money Southampton took away in just one afternoon.The biggest penalty ever imposed by the Premier League was \u00a310.75m against Chelsea in March this year, and was accompanied by a sporting ban. Despite involving \u00a347.5m in undisclosed payments over seven years, no sanctions were imposed.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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![\"Hull](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37183552.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2274605340.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>![\"Tonda](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36991460.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2269890168.jpg\")
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