Southampton boss Tonda Eckert pleased to have clarity after 'spygate' decision

[p]Eckert was handed a suspended six-week ban ‌and a £28,000 ($36,979) fine after admitting he authorised the ‌observation of training sessions of three rival Championship clubs ‌last season.[/p][p]The FA charged Eckert in July and ‌an independent regulatory commission imposed the sanctions following a hearing, with the governing body confirming on Wednesday that the ban ‌would remain suspended until the end ⁠of the 2027/28 season.[/p][p]"[b]I ‌made a mistake and I said that relatively quickly ​and then I think you just have to accept the consequences[/b]," Eckert told reporters on ​Thursday.[/p][p]"[b]The only thing for me was to give my version of the story and I'm happy the ⁠commission listened... I'm ​very happy we go into Sunday, one of the biggest games of the season, with clarity[/b].[/p][p]"[b]And that's not just for me, that's for everyone involved in this ‌football club[/b]."[/p][embed guid="5b6167ca-3c42-4d06-8be1-ede703e3e754" url="https://x.com/SouthamptonFC/status/2107862514113400962" social-type="twitter" /][p]Eckert acknowledged that he could have faced a much heavier punishment and said the decision allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] to draw a line under the affair.[/p][p]"[b]There was a fair chance that the verdict goes a different way. After such a long time, we've had a verdict from the EFL, we've had a verdict now (from the FA).[/b][/p][p]"[b]Whatever you expect is not ‌necessarily what you get in the end, so for ​me it's to hold my hand up ‌one more time[/b]."[/p][p]Southampton were expelled from last season's Championship playoff final and deducted four points for the 2026/27 campaign after observing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oxford-utd/vgOBT43c/"]Oxford United[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ipswich/thqhB2MB/"]Ipswich Town[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/middlesbrough/6F0lvLNC/"]Middlesbrough[/a] in training.[/p][p]Southampton are 13th in ⁠the Championship with 10 ⁠points from eight matches.[/p]