| Let's get some perspective 11:28 - May 16 with 1682 views | MattFinish |
I just don’t get why there has been such a frenzied witch hunt being launched against Saints so I’m putting what is really a minor misdemeanour into some sort of perspective
To start here is a quick note about financial fair play etc.
Profitability and Sustainability Regulations (PSR): Clubs are permitted to incur a maximum loss of £15m of their own money over a rolling three-year period. Losses can be stretched up to £105m provided the excess is secured by equity funding from owners (such as buying up shares or covering losses themselves) rather than relying heavily on traditional bank loans that burden the club's cash flow.
Chelsea face 74 FFP charges for conduct between 2009 and 2022 with specific focus on the events that took place between the 2010/11 and 2015/16 season. Chelsea navigate Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) through player amortization on long-term contracts, massive pure profits from academy sales, and selling tangible club assets to sister companies.
Chelsea's financial structure is highly complex, with its parent company (BlueCo) taking on over £1.39 billion in debt to fund operations. As of April 2026, the club reported a record £262.4 million pre-tax loss amid a total of over £1 billion in player spending.
During the 2009 – 2022 period Chelsea won 3 PL titles, 2 Champions League finals, 1 UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Conference League trophy, 2 FIFA World Club trophies, 3 FA Cups, 1 League Cup and 1 Charity Shield.
In that period of massive and prolonged cheating Chelsea have been deducted 0 points and fined £47m.
Manchester City have been charged with breaking financial fair play rules over a nine-year period, which started in 2009 and went on until 2018. They have also been charged with failing to co-operate with Premier League investigations into their finances.
Manchester City posted a huge net debt after spending over £350m on transfers in 2024/25.
When the Premier League charged City in 2023, its press release detailed alleged rules breaches that added up to 115 in total, but it is believed that the actual number is 130. Manchester City have still to be charged by the footballing authorities.
In 2014 Fined £52m, of which £35m was suspended. Their squad for UEFA competitions was reduced to 21 players, and transfer spending restrictions and two-year squad salary restrictions were imposed. During the 9 years of massive and sustained financial cheating City have been deducted 0 points.
Since 2009 City have won 8 PL Titles; 1 Champions League trophy, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, 3 FA Cups, 7 League Cups and 4 Charity Shields
In 2023 Man Utd were handed a €300,000 fine by UEFA for committing financial fair play breaches over a four-year period between 2019 and 2022, yet got no points deduction. This financial misconduct enabled them to finish in Europe each year and win the League Cup.
Leicester City exceeded the permitted P&S loss threshold by £20.8 million. It also found a breach for failing to supply annual accounts on time and only got a 6 point deduction. Their financial misconduct allowed them to be promoted to the PL.
In 2010 Pompey amassed debts nearing £138m due to assembling a squad that they couldn’t afford. This financial cheating enabled them to play in the PL and win the FA cup. They went into administration in 2010 and were allowed to pay back an HMRC debt at 20p in the pound but avoided paying 80% of their £37m HMRC debt. They overspent and went into administration again in 2012 and thanks to Penny Mourdant had their massive HMRC debt completely written off.
And if you believe the media including most of Murdoch’s gutter rags and SkySports, BBC Sports etc Saints face worse punishment that any of those clubs for attempting (and failing) to film a Middlesbrough training session. Yes it was wrong and a stupid thing to do but we got absolutely no advantage whatsoever. Let’s not forget that according to the EFL rule spying on opposition training sessions is absolutely fine and not cheating at all but you can’t do it within 72 hours of the game which I find incredible.
Now compare it with what the clubs above. We got no advantage, the teams above got massive advantages and rewards
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| Let's get some perspective on 11:37 - May 16 with 1629 views | euasabioscummer |
Spot on Matty.
Wrong but not worth this much fuss. Coure were bound to say this is what others may say but....
As mentioned if the other way round. I may feel a tad agrieved on the night of the match but by now Id of forgotten and gone shopping with the missus about what our roastie is on the sunday. But instead the social media and national media ramp it up.
Football gone far to soft and woke....
Like you say go get the real cheats who spunk money to win stuff and make more and more money from it.
Not some young intern with a poxy mobile.
Any way win or lose were on the booze!
UTS |  | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 11:44 - May 16 with 1600 views | Tonyfromdk |
Well said.
When media outlets (talksport) invite a discussion and for fans to call in then shut them down,
Its just plain wrong.
Your facts are an eye opener and teams like the skates won the fa cup through cheating.
History will tell us though they won like Chelsea and ManC . We haven't gained anything, infact the game we were supposed of spied their training on they should have been 3 up at halftime.
All this has been so much overkill compared to what really goes on in football. | | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 12:44 - May 16 with 1464 views | MattFinish |
Just watched SkySports news talking about the FA cup final
Not one mention of cheating | | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 14:26 - May 16 with 1371 views | Jellybaby |
Good study. Money talks, Man City and Chelsea appear untouchable.
The only sensible outcome for this (if guilty) is for it to blow over quietly with a fine and a reprimand , the fact it hasn't concerns me that bigger forces are at play and Southampton as a smaller club will be the sacrificial lamb for some monetary gain somewhere. | |
| I wholly disapprove of what you say and will defend to the death your right to say it. |
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| Let's get some perspective on 14:38 - May 16 with 1344 views | kingslandstand1 |
| Let's get some perspective on 14:26 - May 16 by Jellybaby |
Good study. Money talks, Man City and Chelsea appear untouchable.
The only sensible outcome for this (if guilty) is for it to blow over quietly with a fine and a reprimand , the fact it hasn't concerns me that bigger forces are at play and Southampton as a smaller club will be the sacrificial lamb for some monetary gain somewhere. |
I'm thinking that, and when you look at MattFinish's post it does make you wonder where else money has gone |  |
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| Let's get some perspective on 15:00 - May 16 with 1295 views | UTS1885 |
I dont think other examples are going to count in are unique situation. Yes, i agree players are cheating every game with diving and feigning injury for cards and free kicks. But we need to concentrate on the fact we have been caought in a knock out situatiion, which is the biggest problem |  | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 15:26 - May 16 with 1243 views | kingslandstand1 |
| Let's get some perspective on 15:00 - May 16 by UTS1885 |
I dont think other examples are going to count in are unique situation. Yes, i agree players are cheating every game with diving and feigning injury for cards and free kicks. But we need to concentrate on the fact we have been caought in a knock out situatiion, which is the biggest problem |
Yes we appear to be guilty of a misdemeanor, but it's what punishment we get that's the worry and must surely be looked at with reference to other punishments given? | |
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| Let's get some perspective on 20:28 - May 16 with 1094 views | grumpy |
Matt,I am beyond angry about all this.
Are we really going to be pulled out of the championship playoffs because of someone filming Boro’s training?
We beat them over two legs.
I can see how this will end, would the same outcome be the same if it was one of our big clubs involved?
If it was in reverse I would be embarrassed to see our club make such a fuss after losing the game. |  | | |
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| Let's get some perspective on 20:55 - May 16 with 1055 views | Saintcole7 |
| Let's get some perspective on 20:28 - May 16 by grumpy |
Matt,I am beyond angry about all this.
Are we really going to be pulled out of the championship playoffs because of someone filming Boro’s training?
We beat them over two legs.
I can see how this will end, would the same outcome be the same if it was one of our big clubs involved?
If it was in reverse I would be embarrassed to see our club make such a fuss after losing the game. |
Exactly, we gained nothing, even if we tried we failed, we hired Rowan Atkinson and not Daniel Craig if we did which is still the great unknown. If we had a Senior Anylist caught I would be more worried but an intern I just can't see it??? | | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 20:58 - May 16 with 1051 views | solent_toffee |
| Let's get some perspective on 20:28 - May 16 by grumpy |
Matt,I am beyond angry about all this.
Are we really going to be pulled out of the championship playoffs because of someone filming Boro’s training?
We beat them over two legs.
I can see how this will end, would the same outcome be the same if it was one of our big clubs involved?
If it was in reverse I would be embarrassed to see our club make such a fuss after losing the game. |
The legal, financial and reputational damage of Saints being booted out of the play offs would be massive. Plus next weeks game is being sold as ‘40 years of the play offs’ and the biggest game in football etc. It just doesn’t make sense.
But as someone who worked for the EFL for over 8 years and was called an EFL W**ker by angry Bury and Wigan fans, common sense doesn’t always come into it.
I’d still be amazed if anything other than a suspended points deduction and a slap on the wrist was handed out because there is zero precedence for it. | | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 21:01 - May 16 with 1045 views | Saintcole7 |
Actually thinking about this the more this gets dragged out the more I get more pissed off with the susposed "football authorities", they are weak and just pick on the lesser clubs. | | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 21:04 - May 16 with 1023 views | dirk_doone |
It's nowhere near as bad as teams deliberately injuring the opposition's star player like Boro did to Scienza. Such so-called 'dark arts' are obviously planned in advance, but clubs don't get punished for them. [Post edited 16 May 21:09]
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| Let's get some perspective on 21:08 - May 16 with 1009 views | grumpy |
| Let's get some perspective on 21:04 - May 16 by dirk_doone |
It's nowhere near as bad as teams deliberately injuring the opposition's star player like Boro did to Scienza. Such so-called 'dark arts' are obviously planned in advance, but clubs don't get punished for them. [Post edited 16 May 21:09]
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How do see this ending,Dirk? | | | |
| Let's get some perspective on 21:11 - May 16 with 995 views | dirk_doone |
| Let's get some perspective on 21:08 - May 16 by grumpy |
How do see this ending,Dirk? |
I've no idea but, hopefully, with Saints beating Hull at Wembley.
Our players and fans need to stay optimistic and focussed on the game. [Post edited 16 May 21:14]
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| Let's get some perspective on 22:33 - May 16 with 878 views | kingslandstand1 |
| Let's get some perspective on 21:04 - May 16 by dirk_doone |
It's nowhere near as bad as teams deliberately injuring the opposition's star player like Boro did to Scienza. Such so-called 'dark arts' are obviously planned in advance, but clubs don't get punished for them. [Post edited 16 May 21:09]
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And every team we play target Leo quite early on as he is clearly our danger man to all. He may get the foul, but no protection as say, goalkeepers do | |
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| Let's get some perspective on 22:44 - May 16 with 853 views | MattFinish |
| Let's get some perspective on 20:28 - May 16 by grumpy |
Matt,I am beyond angry about all this.
Are we really going to be pulled out of the championship playoffs because of someone filming Boro’s training?
We beat them over two legs.
I can see how this will end, would the same outcome be the same if it was one of our big clubs involved?
If it was in reverse I would be embarrassed to see our club make such a fuss after losing the game. |
Totally agree Grumps
If our behaviour before the incident was poor Middlesbrough, Hellberg and Gibson’s behaviour since has been appalling
They should concentrate on why Rob Edwards left Boro in 2nd place to join relegation guaranteed Wolves and why Hellberg took Boro from 2nd place to 5th with an appalling run of results
If you think about it we did them a huge favour saving them from certain PL embarrassment next season | | | |
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