Southampton will have to settle for another year in the Championship after being eliminated from the play-offs.

Middlesbrough accused the Saints of filming them ahead to their play-off semi-final first leg, so they admitted to spying on three opponents’ training sessions.

As a result, Hampshire was eliminated from the competition and given a four-point deduction for the following season.

Tonda Eckert’s side had advanced to the play-off final by defeating Borough 2-1 on aggregate, but it was ultimately in vain as both sides missed out on promotion at the expense of Hull City.

Southampton will now have a hectic summer as they attempt to recover from the scandal and potentially contend for promotion again in the coming season.

However, the consequences of their play-off expulsion may linger for several weeks or months, causing significant disruption to the club.

Southampton receives financial warning after spygate

Kieran Maguire, a football financial expert, has told Southampton owner Dragan Solak that the club is unlikely to see the end of the spying issue, with legal action inevitable against them.

Whether from current players or rivals like Wrexham, who finished seventh and missed out on the play-offs, he believes there is a financial motive to take action against the Saints due to the money lost.Maguire told the BBC that he spoke with some Saints fans, and although some are philosophical, others are still unhappy.I believe their rage is geared more against the club than anyone else.

“And we still don’t know where we are in terms of, will there be cases lodged by Wrexham and other clubs who just missed out on the play- offs – could those be directed at Southampton?”We do not know the status of the players who claim to have been refused the opportunity to play in the Premier League.”You glance at a footballer’s contract.

“They are highly incentivised towards success and competing at the elite end, so I don’t think we have seen the end of legal issues over the course of the summer and it is not the reason why any of us have fallen in love with football.”I believe part of the reason for the club’s quiet over the previous few days is that they will have begun an internal enquiry to determine how far up the management chain these acts were authorised, or whether people were turning a blind eye.

“Because there will be some very serious financial ramifications for individuals and potentially the club itself.”

Southampton finished the regular season with a 19-game unbeaten streak, propelling them up the table and into fourth.

The Saints also advanced to the FA Cup semi-finals, losing to Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley Stadium, with Eckert garnering a lot of credit for turning things around at St. Mary’s.

The 33-year-old took over the team following a disappointing start to the season under Will Still, who was fired in November of last year.

However, Eckert’s future with the club is uncertain as a result of the information uncovered regarding his involvement in the spy incident.

The Football Association has also launched an investigation into the individuals involved in the issue, which may result in a penalty for the head coach.

It is unclear whether the players will pursue legal action against the club, however it has been claimed that several are contemplating their options at this time.

Legal action against Southampton may be devastating.

If Southampton’s players take action against the club, it’s difficult to see how they’ll be able to stay in the first team for the long term.

This portends a summer of huge turmoil that might cost the Saints a fortune, and that’s before any potential legal threats from Championship rivals.

It’s unclear whether Eckert will continue to lead the squad, but it’s tough to imagine him winning back fans and players who have turned against him as a result of this controversy.

Southampton could be coping with the fallout for months, not to mention the reputational harm they’ve already sustained.