MANCHESTER, England (AP) 鈥� Southampton coach Tonda Eckert has been charged for his part in the that shocked English soccer last season.
The English Football Association said Wednesday that Eckert had been charged for three incidents that during the end of season playoffs.
Southampton was expelled from the Championship playoff final in May after admitting to spying on other teams, including semifinal opponent Middlesbrough.
The FA said it was alleged Eckert acted in an 鈥渋mproper manner and/or brought the game into disrepute鈥� by authorizing the observation of opponents’ training sessions.
Southampton was charged by the English Football League with the unauthorized filming of Middlesbrough鈥檚 practice sessions ahead of their two-legged semifinal, which it went on to win and go within one game of promotion to the Premier League.
It was expelled from the final after admitting to spying on Oxford United and Ipswich earlier in the season. The EFL also imposed a four-point deduction for next season, while Middlesbrough was reinstated to the final, which it lost .
An arbitration panel laid bare the influence of Eckert in the scandal, saying it was 鈥渁 contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage鈥� and analysts who carried out the unauthorized filming 鈥渇elt pressurised to do the observations that Mr. Eckert and the senior coaches wished them to do.鈥�
Expulsion from the playoffs deprived Southampton of the chance of promotion to the top flight and a guaranteed windfall of at least $270 million in future earnings.
Despite the controversy Southampton said it was sticking by its coach.
鈥淎s a board, we are fully behind him,鈥� owner Dragan 艩olak said in June, 鈥渁nd together we only have one objective 鈥� we want promotion back to (the) Premier League.鈥�
Eckert also said in June that he had
Eckert has until July 28 to respond to the FA charges.
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