Almost 3 months after the original Spygate issue loomed it's ugly head, the FA have finally got their act into geat two weeks before the start of the season to charge Tonda Eckert with breaches of FA rules.

Southampton FC have released the following statement about the matter:

"Southampton Football Club and First Team Head Coach Tonda Eckert acknowledge today’s charges from The FA relating to a breach of Rule E3.1.

"Tonda and the club will continue to cooperate fully and openly with The FA.

"Our focus remains on preparations for the 2026/27 Championship season. The club remains fully supportive of Tonda and his staff as we work towards our ambition of returning to the Premier League.

"We are unable to comment further while the process remains ongoing, but we will provide an update to supporters as soon as we are in a position to do so."

This is in line as we have reported earlier on this sight, Tonda Eckert's visit to the FA a month or so ago was not a hearing, but an interview to question the Southampton manager and then decide what further action will be taken.

They have chosen to charge Eckert and now both the club and the manager have acknowledged the charges and will now consider how they will proceed.

This means that a hearing date will be set and the club will have a minimum period to prepare their defence, if that is what they decide to do, meaning that any potential hearing would at the earliest be probably in the week before the Championship's opening fixture weekend of August 7th-9th.

Eckert has been charged with three breaches of rule E3.1, during the period between December 2025 and May 2026, by "directing and/or observing" training sessions of Oxford United, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough ahead of fixtures against those clubs.

Rule E3.1 states: "A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour".

An "aggravated breach" occurs when there is a reference to any of the following: ethnic origin, color, race, nationality, religion, belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, or disability."

Punishment = 1 to 3 match ban

As no FA rule covers scouting training sessions, that's what they came up with.

These are charges against Eckert himself, rather than the club, who were the ones punished by the EFL.

At this time it is not known why Marcello Bielsa was not charged by the FA when he admitted multiple spying charges by the EFL a few years ago and Southampton would surely be holding that us as a precedent when they make their defence.

Just what the punishment would be for these offences is unclear at present.

In the meantime Southampton will now be preparing their case for the FA hearing, there will be a lot more become clear in the next few days/weeks.

All Photos Via Reuters