Southampton's Spygate intern offered permanent role despite controversy

[p]Salt was caught spying on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/middlesbrough/6F0lvLNC/"]Middlesbrough[/a] ahead of the Championship play-off semifinal between the two sides in May. In the ensuing investigation, several cases of espionage by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] were brought forward.[/p][p]The incident led to Southampton [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-championship-southampton-expelled-from-play-offs-middlesbrough-to-battle-hull-for-spot-in-premier-league/IXfAgwzA/"]being expelled from the play-off final[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hull-city/S66R0t75/"]Hull City[/a], which Middlesbrough lost in injury time.[/p][embed guid="85b36200-2024-486e-bd24-494c3f85846e" url="https://x.com/ThatsFootballTV/status/2054621482345472362?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Following the controversy, Southampton owner Dragan Solak came out in support of manager Tonda Eckert, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/eckert-takes-responsibility-for-spygate-scandal-as-southampton-back-coach/nDWWhW2B/"]who kept his job[/a] at St. Mary's.[/p][p]Salt will now also likely remain with the club, with Southampton having offered Salt a job within the club's academy, as per the [i][b][a href="https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-15971939/Now-Southampton-offer-Spygate-intern-23-permanent-role-club-insisted-acting-orders-above.html?ito=native_share_article-top"]Daily Mail[/a][/b][/i].[/p][p]Staff intern Salt told an EFL Panel that he was forced to spy on Middlesbrough after receiving instructions from those above. Salt said he felt like he did not have a chance to say no.[/p][p]WhatsApp messages from December 2025 showed that Southampton kept their espionage up for an extended period of time, with Salt being told:[b] "You legend. Manager loved it."[/b][/p][p]Southampton start their 2026/27 Championship season on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/southampton-WdKOwxDM/watford-UmMRoGzp/?mid=4G4CbPO7"]August 16th[/a] with an away game at Watford.[/p]