Middlesbrough have reported the incident to the EFL and it will now be investigated
Middlesbrough Football Club’s training ground at Rockliffe Park(Image: Ian Cooper / Teesside Live)
Middlesbrough have contacted the EFL over a suspected spy scandal ahead of the Championship play-off semi-final.
In a story reminiscent of Spygate with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, Boro are understood to have caught a male recording clips of Kim Hellberg’s training session at Rockliffe on Thursday.
Upon being confronted, it’s understood the individual deleted the footage and refused to identify himself before he was ejected from the land, which is privately owned by Boro owner Steve Gibson.
It is suspected that the individual was there on behalf of Southampton, and Boro have reported the incident to the EFL, ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final against the Saints at the Riverside.
Back in 2019, Leeds United were fined after Bielsa admitted that he had spent spies to watch Derby County training sessions ahead of a clash between the two sides. At the time, no such rule prevented it, but Leeds were fined over breaches of a rule around treating teams with ‘good faith’.
In the aftermath, however, the EFL created a new rule which prohibits any side to view their opposition’s training sessions up to 72 hours before a game.
At the time, then EFL chief executive, Shaun Harvey, said: “The sanctions imposed highlight how actions such as this cannot be condoned and act as a clear deterrent should any club seek to undertake poor conduct in the future.”
Middlesbrough would not comment on the incident. Southampton have been approached for comment.
The two sides are set to meet over two legs in the next seven days, starting with the first leg on Saturday at the Riverside. The winner over the two games will progress to Wembley where the prize will be promotion back to the Premier League.
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