Middlesbrough face Hull in a Wembley final overshadowed by the 'spygate' scandal

Southampton were disqualified from the Championship play-offs this week after admitting to spying on their opponents' training sessions, allowing Middlesbrough, who lost in the semi-finals, to be reinstated.

Boro accused Southampton of spying on their team before the first leg of their play-off semi-final earlier this month.

A photo later emerged showing a man hiding behind a tree, seemingly filming with his phone.

The English Football League stated that Southampton had been excluded after admitting to "multiple breaches of EFL regulations regarding the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training sessions".

The Saints also admitted to spying on Oxford and Ipswich earlier in the season and were handed a four-point deduction for next season in the English second tier.

Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg acknowledged in Thursday's pre-match press conference that the spying scandal had taken its toll. When asked about his dreams of victory, he replied: "I'm not sleeping. I haven't slept for a week and a half, I think, so there are no dreams. I hope to get a good night's sleep this time, and then I can tell you about my dreams tomorrow."

Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic told the BBC that his team had been a "collateral victim" in the affair. He explained to reporters that Southampton had "crossed the line" but questioned the actual benefit of such actions.

Jakirovic had to wait to learn his team's opponent due to legal proceedings: "When you (the media) mentioned 'spygate' after the first leg (of the semi-final against Millwall), I started laughing, because why (do that)? I know everything about every team, and this is my first season here—I know every player—but that's my job."

Financial reward

Football finance experts at Deloitte estimate that the team promoted to the Premier League, alongside already-promoted Coventry and Ipswich, will earn at least £205 million over the next three seasons.

This figure could rise to around £365 million if the club avoids relegation in its first Premier League season.

These projections account for expected increases in matchday, broadcast, and sponsorship revenues.

"Regardless of recent events, this fixture remains one of the most anticipated in football, representing the biggest financial prize in the sport," said Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

Both Hull and Middlesbrough were relegated from the Premier League in 2017.

Southampton's appeal against their disqualification was rejected on Wednesday, and Boro, who lost 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, replaced the Saints.

Southampton CEO Phil Parsons described the sanctions as "clearly disproportionate".

The club's Player of the Year, Leo Scienza, called the punishment "heartbreaking" and said the fans "clearly deserved better". "For me, the dream of playing in the Premier League was something I fought for with everything I had," he wrote on Instagram. "That's why this pain runs so deep."

The future of Tonda Eckert as Southampton manager is now highly uncertain, with some media outlets suggesting players may take legal action against the club.

The Football Association has confirmed it is investigating Southampton and considering potential further action.