Eckert free to stay as Southampton boss as Spygate ban suspended

On Thursday, 7 May, Middlesbrough were holding a training session at Rockliffe Park in preparation for their fixture against Southampton two days later. According to BBC sources, Southampton intern William Salt was observed parked near the club’s facilities before walking a short distance—approximately a couple of 100 yards—down a road that leads to a raised area of ground. While there, Salt was seen pointing his mobile phone at the Middlesbrough training ground and wearing in‑ear headphones. Middlesbrough staff believed he might have been live‑streaming the session via a video call. A member of Middlesbrough’s backroom staff approached Salt, but the individual declined to identify himself. He then quickly deleted any material on his phone before entering the club’s premises. Afterward, he jogged to the toilets, changed his clothing and left the site in haste. Middlesbrough’s photographer captured images of the individual and matched them to a photograph posted on Southampton’s website; one of those images was later released publicly. The incident provoked an angry reaction from Middlesbrough, who promptly reported the matter to the English Football League (EFL). The EFL charged Southampton with violating two regulations: * Regulation 3.4, which obliges clubs to conduct themselves toward each other with the utmost good faith; and * Regulation 127, which forbids any club from observing—or attempting to observe—another club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two sides. During the ensuing investigation, it emerged that Southampton had also been monitoring training sessions involving Oxford and Ipswich, in addition to filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play‑off semi‑final. Southampton failed to win any of those three encounters, losing 2‑1 at Oxford, drawing 2‑2 at home to Ipswich and playing out a 0‑0 draw against Middlesbrough. Following the inquiry, William Salt was appointed to a permanent position within Southampton’s academy. The club told the BBC that “he’s been done a clip time.” Phil Parsons, the club’s head of enforcement, added: “When your photograph is put out to the public, that is something tough to deal with,” main enforcement Phil Parsons told the BBC last month. “A lot of people around probably underestimated how that could have impacted a young lad so we’ve got a job to make sure that he's looked after in his future career. But he's a talented lad as well. I get good feedback and he's got a good role at the club.”