Tonda Eckert’s Spygate hearing date, plea for forgiveness and Southampton CEO’s latest update

Southampton are waiting for the Football Association to decide what punishment, if any, Tonda Eckert will receive over the club’s spying scandal.

Eckert’s FA hearing is understood to be scheduled for Thursday, when the Southampton manager could finally learn the outcome of the disciplinary case that has been hanging over him for several months.

The German coach was charged by the FA in July with three counts of bringing the game into disrepute after admitting that he authorised spying on Middlesbrough before last season’s Championship play-off semi-final.

It was later established that Southampton had also spied on Oxford United and Ipswich Town before their respective matches.

The EFL had already punished Southampton over the wider scandal, with the club expelled from the play-offs and handed a four-point deduction at the start of this season. With the EFL case against the club concluded, the FA then launched its own investigation into Eckert as an individual.

Eckert subsequently appeared before the FA during an investigative hearing in July before being formally charged. He has since been waiting for the governing body to reach its decision.

Speaking to the BBC, Eckert admitted that the period since the scandal emerged had been difficult and said he wanted the matter to finally be resolved.

“I’d be lying if I said the summer had been easy,” Eckert said. “We will all be happy when it’s done because it’s been a long time now since the event.”

The Southampton boss also revealed that he had apologised for his actions and asked for forgiveness.

“I’ve asked for forgiveness for what I’ve done. I’ve apologised publicly,” he said.

Eckert also argued that Southampton had already paid a significant price for the scandal, pointing to their removal from the play-offs and the four-point deduction.

He described the sanctions as extremely severe and said another punishment could cause further damage to the club.

“We’ve been hurt,” Eckert said, adding that another sanction would be difficult to accept after the punishment Southampton had already received.

Southampton CEO Phil Parsons has also backed the manager and believes the club has already suffered considerably as a result of the scandal.

Parsons acknowledged that Eckert had made a mistake but highlighted the manager’s contribution after taking charge of a Southampton side that had been sitting 20th in the Championship.

“He’s a young manager, he made a mistake and he’s apologised for that,” Parsons said. “He’s suffered personally because of this.”

The Southampton chief also suggested that the club’s decision to continue supporting Eckert was partly based on loyalty and his work with the team.

“Tonda is also a manager who picked up a team that were 20th in the Championship, so I think without him and his team we wouldn’t be in that position. I think he deserves a bit of loyalty.”

Parsons admitted that Southampton would have to consider their position if Eckert receives a lengthy suspension, but said no decision would be made until the FA announces its punishment.

“We’ll decide that when we get to it. We’re hoping they look at it sensibly,” he said.

With the hearing expected on Thursday, Southampton now await the FA’s decision on whether Eckert will face an additional sanction over the Spygate controversy.