Middlesbrough’s Championship play-off semi-final tie with Southampton has been overshadowed by the ‘Spygate’ scandal.

Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney admitted he had sympathy for Middlesbrough in the wake of the ‘Spygate’ scandal that has overshadowed their Championship play-off semi-final tie with Southampton.

The two sides battled their way to a goalless draw in the first leg on Saturday and will meet at the Saints’ St Mary’s Stadium home on Tuesday night for the right to move within 90 minutes of a date at Wembley and a potential return to the Premier League. However, the build-up to Saturday’s clash was dominated by events off the pitch after Southampton were charged with ‘a breach of EFL regulations’ less than 24 hours before the two teams walked out at the Riverside Stadium.

That came after the South Coast club were accused of spying on a Middlesbrough training session before the first leg when a Saints performance analyst was alleged to have recorded and taken pictures of Kim Hellberg and his coaching staff putting their players through their final preparations.

The FA statement read: "Southampton Football Club has today been charged with a breach of EFL regulations, and the matter will be referred to an independent disciplinary commission," read an EFL statement released on Friday night. “This follows a request from the EFL for the club's observations after a complaint from Middlesbrough relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property ahead of the two clubs' meeting in Saturday's Championship play-off semi-final first leg."

Southampton responded with a statement of their own as they said: “Southampton Football Club acknowledges the statement issued by the EFL in relation to alleged breaches of EFL Regulations. We can confirm that we will be fully cooperating with the League throughout this process. Given the ongoing nature of the matter, the club is unable to comment any further at this time.”

‘Taking liberties’

placeholder image — Troy Deeney. | Getty Images.

Pundit Deeney accused Southampton of ‘cheating and taking liberties’ and revealed his sympathy for Boro ahead of Tuesday’s second leg. Speaking to CBS Sports, the former Watford striker: “The manager of Middlesbrough said it. We had to change everything, we had to do a completely new structure and he also stated they (Southampton) knew set-pieces, how we are going to play. If I could go into a game knowing how they’re going to build-up, how they’re going to attack, what set-pieces, it makes my job 90 percent easier because all of those other things that are variable and you’re trying to guess.

“How many times into a game do we say ‘don’t do that press because they’re not doing it this time, do it this way’. All of that is out of the window because of this. For me, it’s cheating, but it’s also taking liberties. Forget Southampton, why should Middlesbrough have to change everything 48 hours before their biggest game of the season and they have to remodel and change everything because you can’t stay within the parameters of the rules.”

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