Southampton believes it has endured enough punishment over the ‘Spygate’ scandal as an independent regulatory commission prepares to hear charges against coach Tonda Eckert this week.

The Saints faced severe consequences, including removal from last season’s Championship play-offs after admitting to spying on three opponents' training sessions. This penalty denied them a lucrative chance at promotion to the Premier League, valued at over £200 million.

In addition to losing their play-off opportunity, the club received a four-point deduction for the current campaign, with more disciplinary actions pending against Eckert, who was charged with misconduct by the Football Association in July due to the same incidents.

Eckert expressed to the BBC that the club has already faced a "big, big punishment." Southampton’s chief executive, Phil Parsons, echoed this sentiment, stating:

What we hope as a club is they (the FA panel) actually recognise where we are at the moment, and what we’ve already been through. I really feel like we’ve taken enough. We’ve been hurt.

Parsons highlighted the financial impact on the club and local businesses due to their absence from the Premier League, alongside the significant legal fees incurred during the scandal. He emphasized that the club does not wish to be perceived as a victim but rather needs to move forward.

Eckert admitted to sending staff to monitor training sessions at Oxford and Ipswich during the regular season, and Middlesbrough before their play-off semi-final. The scandal came to light when a Southampton intern was confronted by Middlesbrough staff.

Eckert maintained that he was unaware that such actions violated EFL rules. The EFL panel described the spying as a "contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage." In a recent interview, Eckert stated, "It’s been a big, big punishment. Absolutely unheard of in the history of sports," and acknowledged the severe impact on the club.