The drama is heating up in the Championship play-offs, and it’s not just about the action on the pitch. Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has fired off a strong accusation, claiming someone at Southampton “made a decision to try to cheat” ahead of their tense play-off semi-final first leg.

The match ended in a 0-0 stalemate at the Riverside Stadium, but the real buzz came from an off-field incident. Allegations surfaced that a Southampton staff member spied on Middlesbrough’s training session, sparking what’s now being called the “spygate” row. The EFL has since charged Southampton after Middlesbrough filed a complaint about “unauthorised filming on private property.” The case will go before an Independent Disciplinary Commission, with Southampton pledging to cooperate fully.

Hellberg didn’t hold back when reflecting on the incident. “It was a weird situation,” he said. “I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears when I heard it. When they told me a second or third time, it became clear that someone made a decision to try to cheat.” He was careful to clarify that he’s not pointing fingers at Southampton’s players or fans, calling them “brilliant” and expressing sympathy for the fallout they face. “But someone decided to go and try to cheat—that’s clear.”

The Middlesbrough boss stressed that the advantage gained from such spying isn’t minor. “Some people say it’s not a big advantage because you can watch games on film, but it’s massive. We used a shape in the first half that we’ve never used before. You couldn’t know that from watching any game. Set-pieces, goal kicks—it’s just unfair. Everyone would agree with that.”

Hellberg’s tone mixed anger with disappointment, especially about the breach of respect between clubs. “There’s respect we’ve failed to uphold. I’m talking about those who did it, not the whole club. That disappoints me. I would never do that. It’s a big game, but you have to compete fairly. Things can happen in the heat of the moment, but this isn’t a dive—this is deliberate.”