Middlesbrough take unprecedented action as Southampton spy identified

Middlesbrough have taken unprecedented action after their 2-1 play-off semi-final second-leg defeat against Southampton, which came after accusations that the Saints spied on Boro before last week’s first leg.

The accusations first surfaced in the days before the play-off clash’s first leg at the Riverside, with the English Football League charging Southampton with spying on Middlesbrough.

As reported by the Mail, the alleged spy has been identified as Southampton intern William Salt, who was supposedly covertly observing Boro 72 hours before the first leg.

The intern is thought to be part of Tonda Eckhert’s first-team operations team and is said to be highly thought of by the German.

Southampton wound up 2-1 winners in extra time of Tuesday’s second leg at St Mary’s, courtesy of Shea Charles’ strike in the dying embers of the match, setting up a Wembley final with Hull City, who progressed after a semi-final clash with Millwall.

"If we hadn't caught that man that they sent up five hours to drive, you would sit there and say well done [to Southampton] in the tactical aspect of the game, and I would go home and feel like I've failed," Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg said after the match.

"When that is taken away from you — 'we're not going to watch every game, we're going to send someone instead and film the sessions and hope they don't get caught' — it breaks my heart in terms of all the things I believe in."

The final is currently scheduled to take place on May 23; however, whether Southampton compete in it remains to be seen.

Boro owner Steve Gibson has employed respected sports lawyer Nick De Marco, with the club making it clear that they expect Southampton to receive a sporting sanction.

As no direct precedent has been set, the potential sanctions are unclear, although suggestions of points deductions and fines have been made by fans and pundits.

It also appears that Boro believe there is still a chance they could contest the play-off final, with a report from The Telegraph claiming that the North East side’s players will continue to train in case Southampton are thrown out of the showpiece.

Following Tuesday’s match, the Boro players were given two days off to rest, but will return on Friday and be put through their paces as normal in case the panel decides they will take Southampton’s place in the final.

It must be noted that it is possible Southampton are guilty of no offence and the charge may still be dismissed.

Middlesbrough boss delivers honest press conference - 'It breaks my heart'

Following last night's game, Boro boss Hellberg said: "I worked 15 years as a coach, trying to get to the Premier League. That's my dream for 15 years.

"I know there are clubs with bigger resources or parachute payments that can spend more money. There are teams that have bigger squads than us, teams that have more money to spend.

"What you have as a coach and a group is the tactical element of the game where we can beat the opponent and I think that's what everyone loves about the game. That's why I look at England and think it's the home of football, where I want to be, what I'm dreaming about. You're so proud of your football and I think that's absolutely amazing, that's why I wanted to be here.

"When you have more money and all those things, you try to find a way to get an advantage, that's the way I try to go with my team. That's what you always try to do, because we can be better in that element.

"Alex Neil said a very good thing after the (Millwall) game. He said 'I think I let people down as we haven't won'. In that way, he said he had let people down. That's often the feeling a coach goes home with because you think, what I could control was the tactical aspect of the game or helping my players more.

"When you have done that and, for a week or two weeks up to this game, put every second away from your family to watch Southampton every game you can to try to gain the advantage that we can actually get, if we wouldn't have caught that man they sent up on a five-hour drive, you would sit there and say, well done, maybe, in the tactical aspect of the game and I would go home and feel like I had failed in that aspect I had to help my players with.

"When that is taken away from you in that way, when someone decides: 'No, we're not going to watch every game. We'll send someone instead and film the session and see everything and hope we don't get caught'. I guess that was why they were switching clothes and all those things.

"It breaks my heart in terms of all those things I believe in. That's the thing.

"I don't care if there are other rules in different countries. This is England where football is the biggest thing.

"That's my feelings about it. I think it's disgraceful. It makes me very sad."

When asked whether he thinks his opposite number Eckhert knew about the alleged spying, he added: "I cannot answer. No comment."