FA charges Southampton coach Tonda Eckert with three rule breaches in spying case

The English Football Association (FA) has formally charged Southampton's assistant coach Tonda Eckert with three rule breaches in connection with a "spying" scandal that impacted the club's promotion playoff campaign. The FA announced on Wednesday that the alleged offenses occurred between December and May, involving the monitoring of training sessions of Oxford, Ipswich, and Middlesbrough prior to their respective matches against Southampton.

Eckert is accused of inappropriate conduct and bringing the game into disrepute by overseeing the surveillance of rival clubs' training sessions, which is against regulations. An independent commission has previously noted that Eckert admitted to approving these observations. The charges follow an incident in early May when Middlesbrough accused Southampton of filming and photographing a training session on private property. A young employee was reportedly caught spying before the first leg of the playoff semi-final between Southampton and Middlesbrough, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

“

Tonda and the club will continue to cooperate fully with the FA. Our focus is on preparing for the 2026/27-sæsonen i Championship.

Southampton initially secured a place in the promotion final after a 2-1 victory in extra time in the second leg. However, their playoff participation was jeopardized once the spying allegations surfaced. The club has also acknowledged spying on Oxford and Ipswich. Middlesbrough was ultimately awarded the playoff final spot, which they subsequently lost to Hull.

In response to the charges, Southampton issued a statement on their website: "Tonda and the club will continue to cooperate fully with the FA. Our focus is on preparing for the 2026/27 Championship season." The club added, "The club continues to stand fully behind Tonda and his staff as we work together towards our goal of returning to the Premier League."

“

Klubben står fortsat helt bag Tonda og hans stab, mens vi sammen arbejder for vores mål om at vende tilbage til Premier League.