The China Mail - Southampton appeal against Championship play-off removal for spying

And Southampton great Matthew Le Tissier also weighed into the debate, saying the punishment did not fit the crime.

An English Football League independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday kicked the Saints out after they admitted spying on a training session of semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.

Boro have now been reinstated and are set to face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League, with Championship winners Coventry and second-placed Ipswich having secured automatic promotion at the end of the regular season.

Southampton will also be docked four points next season after admitting multiple breaches of regulations related to the "unauthorised filming of other clubs' training" sessions, according to a statement from the EFL.

- Fans 'deserved better' -

Saints chief executive Phil Parsons apologised on Wednesday "to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the Southampton supporters", whom he said "deserved better from the club".

Meanwhile former Saints star Le Tissier, who has been working with the club in an advisory capacity, told the Sun: "It feels like you've been put on trial for murder when all you've done is stolen a Mars bar from the corner shop."

Southampton's appeal will be heard by an independent league arbitration panel later on Wednesday.

A club statement added that the Saints "cannot accept a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence".

Parsons said the club had been “denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million ($269 million) and one which means so much to our staff, players and supporters”.

Southampton highlighted a £200,000 fine imposed on Leeds in 2019 for spying on Derby as evidence of a precedent the EFL should follow in their case.

However, when Leeds were punished, the EFL's regulation 127 -- which specifically forbids clubs from observing an opponent within 72 hours of a match -- did not exist.

It was introduced after Leeds were sanctioned to help clarify what had been an uncertain situation.

Southampton have also admitted to spying on a training session at Oxford in December and one at Ipswich in April, in addition to the Middlesbrough session.

All three incidents occurred after the appointment of German coach Tonda Eckert as Southampton manager in December.

Middlesbrough, who called for Southampton to be expelled from the play-offs before Tuesday's hearing, welcomed their removal from the final, saying the ruling "sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct".

Meanwhile, Hull owner Acun Ilicali voiced his frustration at the delay in confirming his side's opponents and warned postponing the final would cause a "big, big problem" given international call-ups.

"We miss nine days of training (to prepare for Middlesbrough instead of Southampton) so in this case we are very disappointed," he told Sky Sports.

"I believe in my boys and our coach 100 percent, but when you look at the picture it doesn’t seem too fair that we don’t know who we play."

U.Chen--ThChM