Southampton boss Tonda Eckert given suspended six-week ban and fine over Spygate

SAINTS ARE SINNERS: Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has been handed a suspended ban of six weeks over Spygate (Cody Froggatt/PA)

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has avoided major punishment for his role in ‘Spygate’ after the Football Association issued a six-week ban suspended until the end of next season.

Saints were kicked out of the Championship play-off final and docked four points this term having admitted three breaches of EFL regulations after being caught snooping on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough and two other teams.

Eckert accepted full responsibility and was charged by the FA with three breaches of Rule E3.1 in relation to “misconduct”, which hung over Southampton and their manager heading into the new campaign.

The German coach attended an FA hearing at the start of the international break and is able to continue his role against rivals Portsmouth this Sunday and beyond.

A statement from the governing body read: “Tonda Eckert subsequently admitted the charges, and an independent Regulatory Commission imposed a six-week suspension from all football and football related activity, which is suspended until the end of the 2027/28 season, a £28,000 fine and a reprimand following a hearing.

“The suspended sanction will come into effect in the event he is found to have committed a breach of Rules or Regulations by requesting, authorising, taking, or using information from any observation of the training of another club, in whatever guise that observation may take.” The punishment is likely to draw strong opinions from across the game, with Southampton saying in a statement “this now brings a conclusion to a regrettable period of our history”.

The club, who sit 13th in the Championship, say “measures have been put in place to ensure that such errors in judgement never happen again at our club” and they are “excited to move forward together towards a bright future”.

Southampton owner Dragan Solak said: “I’m pleased that the independent panel has come to a decision and that we have an outcome.

“We have already suffered enough, and we appreciate the panel’s recognition of that.

“We are confident the manager has learned from this matter, and a suspended sentence allows him to continue in his role.

“I firmly believe that Tonda is one of Europe’s most exciting young coaches, and with this distraction removed, I am confident he can lead the team to a successful season. I’d like to thank our fans for standing by us and showing the team so much support during a time when we have needed them more than ever.

“The FA process has been a positive experience. Tonda has been given the opportunity to be open and honest with the panel, and the panel has been able to see that he is simply a good person who made poor decisions.

“The same cannot be said for the EFL process, and the way they have subsequently treated us is not something we will forget.

“However, now is the time to look forward to what I believe will be a great future for our club.” The English Football League declined to comment.