A dramatic turn of events has rocked the Championship play-offs, with Southampton expelled from the competition due to admissions of spying on rival teams. This decision, confirmed by the EFL after an investigation, has sparked calls for a complete reset of the play-offs, especially from Wrexham forward Josh Windass, whose team finished just outside the top six.

An independent commission found Southampton guilty of three spying offences, including incidents against play-off semi-final opponents Middlesbrough earlier this month. The club admitted to observing training sessions at Oxford last December and Ipswich in April, following the appointment of head coach Tonda Eckert in early December.

Southampton plans to appeal the sanctions, which also include a four-point deduction for the next season. A league arbitration panel is set to hear their case, which could either uphold the original decision or reinstate the Saints.

Pending the outcome of this appeal, Middlesbrough, initially scheduled to face Southampton, has been reinstated and is now set to play Hull City in the play-off final on Saturday. However, the EFL has cautioned that scheduling remains subject to change. Middlesbrough players are reportedly returning to their Rockliffe Park training base in anticipation of the Wembley showpiece.

Windass, whose Wrexham side finished seventh, argues for a full restart of the four-team competition, suggesting Wrexham should take Southampton’s place. He expressed his confusion on Instagram, stating, "This Southampton story is one of the maddest I’ve seen. But why isn’t the play-offs starting again with the 4 other teams? Boro v Hull would have been the semi!! Confused."

If Southampton is removed, Wrexham would face third-placed Millwall in the semi-finals. The stakes are high; upholding the original decision would deny Southampton a shot at Premier League promotion, estimated to be worth a minimum of £200 million.

Middlesbrough, which had previously called for Southampton’s expulsion, welcomed the verdict, stating it "sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct." Ticketing details are expected to be announced today.

The EFL stated that if the final is contested between Boro and Hull, the kick-off time would be moved to 3:30 PM. If Southampton’s appeal allows them to play Hull, the match will kick off at the originally scheduled time of 4:30 PM.