Southampton charged by EFL over alleged spying on Middlesbrough ahead of play-off clash

[p]The two sides ‌are due to play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/middlesbrough-6F0lvLNC/southampton-WdKOwxDM/?mid=06SB4db6"]at ‌Middlesbrough on Saturday[/a] with the second leg at ‌St Mary's on Tuesday.[/p][p][b]"[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] Football Club ‌has today been charged with a breach of EFL Regulations, and the matter will be referred to ‌an Independent Disciplinary Commission,"[/b] the ⁠EFL said ‌in a statement.[/p][p]"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 (on Saturday)."[/p][embed guid="05c67892-5f94-486c-97b9-c5f3b4f04797" url="https://x.com/SkyFootball/status/2052857556024857014" social-type="twitter" /][p]The ⁠EFL referred ​to regulations barring clubs from "observing, or attempting to observe, another club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between ‌the two clubs."[/p][p]The League said Southampton would normally have 14 days to respond but in this case it would ask the Independent Disciplinary Commission to list a hearing as soon as possible.[/p][p]There was no immediate comment from either club.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hull-city/S66R0t75/"]Hull City[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/millwall/6uz2cJBL/"]Millwall[/a] played the other [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hull-S66R0t75/millwall-6uz2cJBL/?mid=zwO5QwLP"]semi-final ‌first leg on Friday with the ​score ending goalless[/a]. They play the second ‌leg in London on Monday.[/p][p]Millwall finished the season third overall with Southampton fourth, Middlesbrough fifth and Hull sixth.[/p][p]Champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/coventry/GOvB22xg/"]Coventry City[/a] and runners-up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ipswich/thqhB2MB/"]Ipswich Town[/a] ⁠have secured automatic ⁠promotion to the ‌Premier League.[/p]