Tonda Eckert, Southampton's sporting director, has finally broken his silence on the Championship play-off final spygate scandal. The club was kicked out of the final last month after being found to have contravened EFL rules by spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.
The incident has sparked widespread controversy in the football community, with many calling for stricter punishments for teams found to be in breach of the rules. In a statement, Eckert acknowledged that the club had made a mistake and apologised for any distress caused.
'We accept that our actions were unacceptable and we have taken steps to ensure that it does not happen again,' Eckert said.
Southampton was due to face Middlesbrough in the play-off final, but was instead replaced by West Bromwich Albion. The Baggies went on to win the final, securing promotion to the Premier League.
Despite the controversy surrounding the incident, Eckert insisted that the club had learned from its mistake and was committed to upholding the values of fair play.
'We are committed to conducting ourselves in a professional and sporting manner, both on and off the pitch,' he said.