Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has finally pulled a line under his feud with Southampton and their head coach Tonda Eckert, when the book was closed on the five month long Spygate incident.

The Saints had been spectacularly kicked out of the Championship play-offs by the EFL after an independent committee determined that they’d spied on not only Borough but Ipswich Town and Oxford United earlier on in the 2025-26 season, and they’d all been allowed by Eckert.

The south coast team have been waiting months for a verdict on Eckert’s punishment from the FA with the 2026-27 season beginning with Southampton facing a four-point deduction, but nothing emerged of the German’s future – until the international break.

Tonda Eckert punishment comes 5 months after Spygate start

Eckert’s hearing finally took place on September 24 during the three week break between team fixtures, but it took over two weeks with no word or hints as to what his destiny would be.

Many had expected the 33-year-old to be handed some sort of ban for his actions, however, after suggestions on October 7 from local Southampton media that they were hearing the verdict was set to be favourable towards Eckert, the FA’s official statement later on in the day confirmed he would only be given a six-week suspended ban.

That was down from the 16 weeks actual ban the FA were looking to impose originally but was reduced to a suspended shorter one not only due to his early admission of guily and co-operation but the verdict that Southampton didn’t need to be further punished after the start of the season.

Kim Hellberg talks about Tonda Eckert’s Spygate penalty

It is a major gain for Southampton, particularly on the eve of their encounter with rivals Portsmouth this weekend, but the Eckert ruling is probably not enough for some Middlesbrough fans even if their club were given a reprieve and were pushed into the play-off final only to lose at Wembley to Hull City.

Their head coach Kim Hellberg still has every right to feel offended but he seems to have moved on from the whole matter after having a phone call from Eckert some months ago.

“For us and for me, I think it ended with the judgement in the first one,” Hellberg told the BBC.

I’m not the type of guy to get back at someone after that. I take the punishment and then we go on.I spoke to Tonda that day and he called me and apologised for those things.So generally, it was about them making their decision so for us, it’s moving on and trying to spend everything on us, that’s the essential thing.”I spoke about my point-of-view on the game after the game. I never said anything about what the prohibition was, I only talked about the emotions that I felt about it.I am not one to hold grudges for that. Everybody deserves another opportunity. I strive to live by that every day.”

Middlesbrough are hoping to get the last laugh at Southampton

To Hellberg, the matter is closed. But to certain Borough fans, it may not be the end.

There was plenty of goading from both sets of supporters, both when Southampton were thrown out of the play-offs and the Teessiders were beaten in the Championship play-off final.

The two sides are yet to meet this season either, with the first encounter taking place on November 27, and there is a chance that passions may have cooled by then among the fanbases – or the lengthy delay might perhaps make things even more raucous at St Mary’s Stadium.

That particular game will wait, but it will not be cold between Hellberg and Eckert on the touchline, based on the Swede’s statements to draw a line under the problem once and for all.