'Spygate' villains Southampton wouldn't be the first team to be kicked out of the play-offs

St Mary's Stadium
Southampton face a nervous wait for the outcome of the 'spygate' hearing (Image credit: PA Media)

Southampton are waiting to find out if they will be punished over the 'spygate' row that has thrown the Championship play-offs into turmoil.

Southampton were charged by the EFL with watching a Middlesbrough training session on Thursday, May 7, two days before the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Kim Hellberg's side.

Southampton hope they won't suffer same fate as previous play-off villains

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After a 0-0 draw at the Riverside Stadium, Saints beat Boro 2-1 after extra-time in the second leg at St Mary's to seal their place in this Saturday's Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium, where they are due to face Hull City.

Although both finalists started selling tickets last Friday, there is still uncertainty over if and when the game will go ahead, with an EFL independent disciplinary commission meeting today to decide Southampton's fate.

Swindon Town manager Osvaldo Ardiles (r) and player Alan McLoughlin pose with the Division Two play off winners trophy after the Play off Final against Sunderland at Wembley Stadium on May 28, 1990.

Swindon Town won the second tier play-offs in 1990 - but their joy was short-lived (Image credit: Getty Images)

The commission's decision is expected to be published later on Tuesday or on Wednesday, with several sanctions on the table if Saints are found guilty - including a fine, a points deduction and even expulsion from the play-offs.

The latter punishment appears severe, but it wouldn't be the first time a team has been kicked out of the end-of-season shootout.

In 1990, Swindon Town recorded their then highest-ever finish of fourth in Division Two under the management of Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina legend Ossie Ardiles.

The Wiltshire club overcame Blackburn Rovers 4-2 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals, before beating Sunderland 1-0 at Wembley to reach the top flight of English football for the first time in their history - but that wasn't the end of the story.

Swindon had been under investigation by the Football League since January 1990 for alleged financial irregularities, with the initial hearing date of May 4 - before the play-offs began - postponed on legal advice over a separate tax fraud case involving chairman Brian Hillier, club accountant Vince Farrar and former manager Lou Macari. Hillier and Farrar were later convicted, while Macari was cleared.

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert during the Championship play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough

Saints manager Tonda Eckert has faced criticism over the 'spygate' row (Image credit: Getty Images)

The hearing into the alleged financial irregularities was eventually held on June 7, 1990 - 10 days after Swindon's Wembley victory - and the club were found guilty of 35 counts of illegal payments, with the Football League deciding that they would be relegated to Division Three and Sunderland would take their place in the top flight.

The Robins were allowed to start the following campaign in Division Two following a successful appeal, but they survived relegation by only two points after several key players were sold and Ardiles departed to manage Newcastle United in February 1991.

Swindon finally got a taste of top-flight football after player-manager Glenn Hoddle led them to a 4-3 win over Leicester City in the 1992/93 play-off final, only to finish rock-bottom of the table the following season in what remains their sole campaign at the highest level.

Freelance writer

James Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for FourFourTwo and other titles. He started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away, before becoming a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers.

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