Matt Le Tissier shocked by Southampton’s ‘Spygate’ punishment

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleSouthampton Football Club has been expelled from the Sky Bet Championship play-off final after admitting to spying on rival team Middlesbrough before their semi-final first leg, alongside multiple breaches of EFL regulations. The club's removal from Saturday's Wembley final against Hull City means that beaten semi-finalists Middlesbrough will now take their place. Southampton's chief executive, Phil Parsons, issued an apology for the club's actions but vehemently criticised the severity of the sanction, labelling it "manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game." Club legend Matthew Le Tissier, who works in an advisory capacity for Southampton, expressed his shock, comparing the punishment to a "murder trial for stealing a chocolate bar" despite acknowledging the club's wrongdoing. Former England internationals Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer also voiced surprise at the decision, suggesting that a significant fine would have been a more appropriate penalty for the rule-breaking incident. In fullMatt Le Tissier wades in on Southampton spygate: ‘On trial for murder for stealing Mars bar’Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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