Southampton heads into its appeal against expulsion from the Championship playoff final, arguing the punishment is 'manifestly disproportionate' to any previous sanction in English soccer history.
The south-coast team admitted to repeatedly spying on opponents this season, including Middlesbrough ahead of the playoff semifinals, and was removed from Saturday's match against Hull. Instead, the English Football League gave Middlesbrough a place in the final at Wembley-a game regarded as the world's richest one-off soccer match, with a windfall of at least $270 million in future Premier League earnings on offer.
In a club statement, Southampton CEO Phil Parsons accepted 'what happened was wrong' and that the club deserved to be sanctioned. 'What we cannot accept is a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence.'
Parsons compared the case to Leeds United being fined £200,000 in 2019 for spying on Derby County, asking why Southampton faces a penalty worth more than £200 million. The club was also deducted four points for next season.
An arbitration panel will hear Southampton's appeal on Wednesday, with a decision expected by Thursday.