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Southampton have been thrown into turmoil after being expelled from the Championship play-offs, with new evidence emerging from their recent disciplinary hearing.

The South Coast club has been removed from the play-off final following revelations that they were involved in spying on several rival teams.

The controversy began when Middlesbrough accused Southampton of secretly filming and photographing their pre-match training session before the first leg of their semi-final clash.

Tonda Eckert’s team went on to win the semi-final 2-1 on aggregate, earning a spot at Wembley Stadium to face Hull City for a place in the Premier League.

However, an independent commission held a hearing earlier this week and ruled in favour of Middlesbrough, reinstating them to the play-off final in place of Southampton. In addition, Southampton were handed a four-point deduction for the upcoming season.

Southampton have announced their intention to appeal the verdict, raising the possibility that they could still be reinstated should the appeal succeed.

As things stand, Middlesbrough are now set to face Hull City in the play-off final this weekend, despite initially being eliminated in the semi-finals.

According to a report by The Athletic, WhatsApp messages from Tonda Eckert were uncovered during the investigation and played a crucial role in the case against Southampton.

These messages reportedly undermined the club’s defence during the hearing, as they sought to avoid being expelled from the play-offs.

The Championship side admitted to three separate incidents of spying on opponents before matches, including the one involving Middlesbrough.

Two club analysts also provided testimony, claiming they were pressured into conducting the spying missions.

It has been further reported that Eckert is under separate investigation by the Football Association for his involvement in the scandal, which could result in a suspension from football.

If Southampton’s appeal is unsuccessful and they are not reinstated, the consequences for the club could be far-reaching.

Reports suggest that several players are considering legal action against the club and have contacted the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) following their removal from the play-offs.

A decision on Southampton’s appeal is expected soon, with hopes that the play-off final can go ahead as scheduled, regardless of the final ruling.

Hull City secured their place in the Wembley final with a comfortable 2-0 aggregate victory over Millwall, thanks to goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt.

Both Hull City and Middlesbrough have been absent from the Premier League since 2017, while Southampton were aiming for an immediate return to the top flight after being relegated a year ago.

It now seems unlikely that Eckert will remain in charge at Southampton, even if the team is reinstated for the play-off final.

The scandal has severely damaged the club’s reputation, and that could have long-term implications, even if promotion is eventually secured.

Evidence presented during the hearing has cast the 33-year-old manager in a poor light, with reports suggesting his main defence was that he was unaware spying violated the rules.

Such an argument has been widely criticised as unprofessional, and it may jeopardise Eckert’s managerial career, as other clubs could find it difficult to trust him following his central role in the controversy.