The Southampton players must be filled with rage right now as their dreams of entering the Premier League have been trampled on.
The drama of the 2-1 win against Middlesbrough in the playoff semi-finals now counts for absolutely nothing, as they have been expelled from the playoffs by the powers that be at the EFL.
Alongside that anguish, the 19-game unbeaten streak to sneak into the top six at the final hour will now be looked back on as a patch of sensational form that was ultimately pointless, and perhaps, boosted by some dark arts moves.
While the Saints players would have known of the Spygate accusations, heading into the playoffs to face Boro, it now appears as if they were deliberately kept in the dark as to the full extent of their team's murky spying antics.
Southampton players kept in the dark
As per a report from The Athletic, it has been alleged that Tonda Eckert's camp was shielded from the full extent of the developing Spygate scandal, with only the most basic details communicated to them.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the Saints players are absolutely fuming right now, according to reports, with the news that Southampton had been expelled from the playoffs altogether filtering through to them, at the same time it took the St. Mary's masses by surprise.
🚨 The Southampton squad had largely been kept away from the Spygate affair & only had the basic details communicated to them by the club — the players were furious at the EFL verdict, having only found out at the same time as everyone else #saintsfc @TheAthleticFC pic.twitter.com/Q5jvLw9VWV
— SaintsExtra (@SaintsExtra) May 19, 2026
The fallout from this situation will be very messy, indeed, with further reports indicating that the Southampton players are threatening legal action against their own employers, as they have to face up to a significant loss of earnings, on the back of Premier League promotion not occurring.
Unsurprisingly, this developing situation has already resulted in reports linking the likes of Caspar Jander with a move away from the crisis-ridden club, with the transfer fee needing to land the German battler "significantly lower" now that the South Coast outfit has been exposed.
Jander won't be the only player who will be eyeing a move away from the club, you imagine, with the team that takes to the pitch for Southampton's first game of next season - with the added blow of a points deduction being in play - likely unrecognisable from the side that Eckert was picking routinely.
The players who will likely move on
If you're a Saints player right now, you will not want to be sticking it out at St Mary's anymore, having been kept in the dark by your employers for so long.
Unfortunately, this will likely result in Daniel Peretz retreating back to Bayern Munich, after such a memorable loan spell, with Gavin Bazunu perhaps given a route back into the first team, with all the drama unfolding.
Alongside Jander possibly leaving the club in the midfield ranks, Southampton could look to cash in on Shea Charles, as well, amid Premier League interest from Nottingham Forest coming to the surface.
Leo Scienza and Finn Azaz will also surely want to desert the sinking ship, as they, too, have Premier League suitors circling.
Safe to say, the approaching summer will really test Southampton fans, with their team's top-flight dreams snatched away and replaced by a horrifying reality that their team could struggle in the second tier.
There is no point crying over spilt milk, though, as the Saints have made their own bed by being found guilty of spying, and so they must accept their fate and try to bounce back as quickly as possible.
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