Championship playoff final: Hull City, Middlesbrough managers react to Southampton spygate scandal verdict

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has stressed that it was 'important to stand up for ourselves' once it had became apparent that Southampton had breached EFL regulations.

Despite suffering a 2-1 aggregate defeat to the Saints in the Championship playoff semi-finals, Southampton were facing an EFL charge for spying on Middlesbrough's training session two days before the first leg.

Earlier this week, Southampton were kicked out of the Championship playoff final and deducted four points for 2026-27 after admitting to three breaches of the regulations and failing with an appeal.

Hull and Middlesbrough will now contest the Wembley Stadium showpiece on Saturday afternoon, with both clubs finally able to focus their attention on trying to earn promotion to the Premier League.

Prior to the final, both managers were speaking to the media on Thursday, with Hellberg relieved to bring the saga to a close.

Hellberg admits "very difficult to know" how Middlesbrough players have coped

Middlesbrough's players have had to wait more than a week to discover whether they would remain in the playoffs, and have just three days of certainty over the game itself.

When quizzed on his players, Hellberg told reporters: "It's very difficult to know, to be fair. After the emotion they had after the Southampton game away from home and all those things that came with that during that time, it was very, very tough.

"Then it's just been back and forth, where we tried to keep them here, but it's been impossible to train. We had a meeting with them here on Monday to try to see where we're at, but it's been very, very difficult.

"Of course, from yesterday, when it was 100 per cent clear, we could start trying to focus on the game we're going to play, which is the biggest for most of the players and also for the coaches."

Hellberg added that it was "important to try and stand up for these things", but suggested that he had sympathy with Southampton's supporters.

The Swede said: "Southampton is a big organisation with so many things that involve that. Of course, I have a lot of sympathy for supporters paying for tickets, thinking they were going to Wembley.

"There's a lot of sympathy for different things; for our fans, for Hull supporters in terms of not knowing when to play the game. That is what this situation has been about.

"It's been weird for a lot of different teams and supporters. It's not fair to them, but it also comes from the decision they have made."

Jakirovic admits Hull preparation "a little short"

Hull have also lost out on preparation time for the final, with some arguing that Middlesbrough should not have been reinstated and the Tigers promoted automatically.

This is a view held by Sergej Jakirovic, yet he acknowledges that "relief" that there is clarity is the strongest feeling.

Jakirovic told reporters: "For sure it's a relief because since Tuesday evening we knew who we were playing against.

!We prepared for at least seven days for Southampton because they won in the semi-finals and then, from Tuesday evening, we started to prepare for this game against Middlesbrough.

"Maybe it's a little bit short, but we already faced Southampton twice and Middlesbrough, so we know everything about them and they know everything about us, so we will see on Saturday.

"I'm optimistic because we had a few very good sessions. I can say it like this, our main focus when we reached the finals was this final game.

"No matter who our opponent was, our focus and concentration is on our team, what we can do there, how we can use our advantages."

In the two games between the sides this season which both took place in December, the away team prevailed on both occasions.

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