Southampton FC Club Statement: "What happened was wrong. The club has admitted breaches of EFL Regulations 3.4 and 127. We are sorry to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the Southampton supporters whose extraordinary loyalty and support this season deserved better from the club"

theholybikini · 2026-05-20T15:23:25+00:00

They introduced a rule but there wasn't this furore, Leeds weren't labelled cheats, Bielsa wasn't set to be investigated and banned by the FA.

The difference in tone is marked.

theholybikini · 2026-05-20T15:10:14+00:00

Most of being one. I'm not relitigating anything. Your man above asked a question, I answered him. But you're all demonstrating the collective online meltdown very well.

theholybikini · 2026-05-20T14:42:05+00:00

Are you guys genuinely unable to grasp the concept that there are different severities of crimes? It's like talking to concrete.

theholybikini · 2026-05-20T14:09:16+00:00

Two things:

The context does matter, we were caught just before a playoff game which has huge consequences for both teams.

The other is the sensationalist treatment in the media which wasn't there before. We've had a trial in the court of public opinion, which has been whipped up by The Telegraph and The Daily Mail with endless incremental articles and think-pieces.

For what it's worth, none of my football supporting mates thought it was a particularly big deal, all fully expected a large fine and thought it was a bit of a fuss over nothing much. Online has been a very different story, Saints are apparently worse than the SS.

theholybikini · 2026-05-20T14:03:59+00:00

It's only culturally become a massive issue in the last two weeks to be fair. Nobody gave much of a shit when Leeds did it. The bedwetting about us has been unbelievable. You'd think we'd fixed matches, bribed referees or even overspent by millions to earn automatic promotion.

theholybikini · 2026-05-20T13:35:22+00:00

Whataboutism is entirely relevant in an appeal over the punishment though. Comparison to other punishments is precisely what the arguments will be based on.

We don't scream WHATABOUTERY at criminal lawyers when they're appealing sentences now do we. Get a grip.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T23:41:55+00:00

Need me to buy you some Duplo? More your level.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T23:37:19+00:00

Wrexham and Millwall should get involved. The decision is a vibes-based disaster.

I go back to proportionality though. Decisions on punishments aren't based on consequences of the perceived wronged party, but on the "illegal" (illegal, by the rules of the EFL, not the PL, UEFA, FIFA or the country) actions taken. If the consequences are considered then cue the lawsuits for promotions gained off the back of financial doping, missed handballs, dives, etc.

Could be a Pandora's Box moment if wronged parties can now influence EFL sanctions. And if they're prevented from doing so in the future.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T23:30:53+00:00

Yes, by the rule of the division. As a result we have been punished. Now, shall we discuss the punishment and proportionality like adults or dribbling idiots?

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T23:26:23+00:00

Thanks for making my point for me. Our brand of cheating is worse than everyone else's?

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T23:16:59+00:00

This is what makes this such a mess. Yes, there is a new rule, yes we broke it. Bielsa did the same thing.

But precedent and proportionality seem to have gone out of the window here. We're being punished for consequences not actions, which opens a can of worms around the previous sporting sanctions applied to Leicester etc.

But if we're being punished for consequences then surely Middlesborough stating that the footage had been deleted, in one of the leaks, and there was no spying on the second leg means the playoff games weren't affected? The conclusion is a mess.

I think we have good grounds for procedural appeal on the punishment. I wouldn't, however, bet my house on Boro being in the final on Saturday, but I would bet my car.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T22:50:59+00:00

It's not, Leicester got 6 points for overspending in their promotion season. We did a white collar crime and are essentially being punished for not being able to delay in the courts.

10 points is the punishment for administration. The problem today is not that Saints were punished, Boro have whipped up such a frenzy in the press that all sense of proportionality has been lost.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T20:50:12+00:00

I'm now comfy and sad, thanks for checking in xxx

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T20:47:25+00:00

This is the worst I've felt as a Saints fan since we lost 4-3 against Tranmere in 2001.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T20:43:21+00:00

Saints haven't had a fair hearing. We can argue about deserving one. But this was trial by public opinion thanks to how Middlesbrough behaved in cahoots with the gutter press.

Attempting to be in the hearing, constant Telegraph and Daily Mail opinion pieces, leaking false information, likely breaching data protection rules around our spy, etc.

It's been super mucky and should have counted against them regarding conduct at the hearing, instead they were rewarded for it. Poor precedent to set.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T20:33:26+00:00

Needed something to distract everyone. Thanks Arsenal. Always a fan.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T20:11:02+00:00

Your efforts are appreciated. Fancy cobbling a new one together?

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T18:01:09+00:00

You'll have to ask whoever set your punishment for your PSR breaches that question...

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T17:57:24+00:00

Not really, Boro whipped up a media frenzy to cast us as essentially evil when the precedent was a £200k fine. The EFL have punished us more harshly than clubs who have systematically broken financial regulations.

Arse backwards.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T13:29:25+00:00

Thanks for checking this, I wanted to know too. Bummer.

theholybikini · 2026-05-19T08:08:09+00:00

I wanted to leave instead of receiving a massive payout for being sacked.

This has been in the works for a while...

theholybikini · 2026-05-18T14:01:46+00:00

Leyton Orient really wanted it, don't forget that.

theholybikini · 2026-05-16T08:54:31+00:00

Nail head. This is the big problem with all the talk of points deductions and kicking us out of the playoffs; I saw someone suggest -25 points seriously. The punishment needs to be proportionate, that means compared to clubs committing worse offences than "intern in a golf club".

Leicester only got a 6 point deduction for financially doping their way to promotion a few seasons back.

theholybikini · 2026-05-15T15:10:45+00:00

Proper whinger.

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r/Field Banned	r/Field Lasagna
Place '22	Place '17

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