Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has expressed gratitude toward the club following the resolution of a scandal involving the illegal filming of opponents’ training sessions, a controversy that has lingered since the end of last season. Eckert received a six-week suspended ban and a £28,000 fine for his role in the incident, which ultimately led to Southampton being expelled from the Championship play-off final and starting the current season with a four-point deduction.

The scandal, widely known as ‘Spygate,’ centered on Southampton’s covert recording of Middlesbrough’s training ahead of the play-offs, as well as similar actions involving three other clubs. Eckert accepted full responsibility for the breaches of Football Association regulations, specifically Rule E3.1 concerning misconduct, and the affair cast a shadow over both his career and the club’s prospects.

Eckert, 33, credited Southampton’s owner Dragan Solak and the entire club leadership for standing by him during the uncertain period. He acknowledged the emotional and professional toll the investigation took over several months but emphasized the significance of the club’s decision to support him. “There are many football clubs that take a different decision in the summer,” Eckert said, highlighting the rarity of the backing he received amid widespread external pressure.

The manager now aims to repay that faith by focusing on promotion to the Premier League, the club’s stated goal for the season. He described the Championship as a challenging league requiring consistent effort and expressed determination to lead Southampton forward without allowing past distractions to undermine their campaign. Eckert also said the clarity brought by the ruling helps both himself and those around him move on. Southampton’s first match since the sanction decision will be Sunday’s derby against local rivals Portsmouth at St Mary’s Stadium, a game Eckert expects to be emotionally charged.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho welcomed the resolution, viewing it as a necessary step to eliminate distractions ahead of the match. “There’s no distraction. I think there would have been if the outcome had been different. It will just be about the football at the weekend now,” he said.

Middlesbrough’s manager Kim Hellberg, whose team was directly affected by the spying, expressed a desire to move past the incident. Hellberg noted that Eckert had reached out to apologize shortly after the original judgment and indicated that he has no intention of holding a grudge. “It ended after the judgment in the first one,” Hellberg said, describing the latest sanctions as matters for the league and the FA rather than the clubs involved.

With the controversy officially behind them, Southampton and Eckert enter a crucial phase of their season seeking to capitalize on the renewed focus and support, while opponents anticipate a competitive and intense atmosphere in the upcoming fixtures.