A just or harsh punishment? Reaction to Southampton expulsion

The spying incident is alleged to have taken place two days before Middlesbrough's play-off semi-final first leg against Southampton

Southampton will be playing in the Championship next season after they were expelled from the play-offs following their admission that they spied on three league rivals this season.

In addition, they will start next season on minus four points after the English Football League (EFL) charged them with watching training sessions of Oxford United and Ipswich Town, in addition to filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play-off semi-final on 7 May.

Southampton beat Middlesbrough over two legs but the latter have been reinstated and will play Hull City for a place in the Premier League at Wembley on Saturday.

The Saints have appealed, with that hearing set to be heard on Wednesday, but does the punishment fit the crime, or have they been harshly done by?

Reaction as Saints set to appeal play-off expulsion

Southampton expelled from play-offs for spying

'Spygate': Southampton out, Middlesbrough in

Southampton's expulsion from the play-off final means they will miss out on a game dubbed the richest in world football, with the winners guaranteed a minimum £110m in Premier League broadcast revenue.

The whole saga came under the spotlight after Middlesbrough reported Southampton for spying on a training session on Thursday, 7 May as they prepared to meet each other in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals two days later.

Saints were then charged by the EFL on 8 May with breaking two regulations.

EFL Regulation 3.4, which requires clubs to act towards each other with the utmost good faith; and

EFL Regulation 127, which prohibits any club from observing, or attempting to observe, another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two clubs.

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson praised the EFL for applying a punishment that he feels protects the integrity of the game.

"I kind of quite like it," he said on BBC Radio 5 live.

"It is like when you're a naughty kid. If you admit three or four things, you have clearly done seven or eight, and you have been caught for them all. The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance.

"It is not the first time they have done it. They have offered their hand, and they have paid the ultimate price for it. It is a strong punishment."

Ex-Arsenal defender Matt Upson felt the EFL had to send a strong message with the punishment.

He said: "If you're going to set the standard for behaviour, if it is there and they have got legislation, and they want to apply it, that is what it's there for.

"It just reads that they are bang to rights with this."

Ex-Southampton midfielder Jo Tessem said his former club "did not have a leg to stand on".

"I am speechless," he told BBC Radio Solent. "I am disappointed that the club had to go to these lengths to get the information they did.

"For Southampton Football Club this is a really sad day."

He added: "We have rules and we need to follow them. We have been punished hard for not following very simple rules and maybe football needs to set these rules and punish hard to get people to follow them.

"Clearly when you admit to doing this three times it feels like you don't have much of a leg to stand on."