Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg is keen to move past the “Spygate” scandal ahead of facing Hull City in the Championship playoff final, a match that could take his team back to the Premier League for the first time in nine years.
Defeat to Southampton in the semifinals had seemingly ended Middlesbrough’s season, but Southampton was expelled from the final for spying on opponents throughout the season, including Middlesbrough before their first-leg clash.
Middlesbrough, which last week called for Southampton to be banned from the final over the spying row, is now set to play Hull at Wembley on Saturday.
“It’s been a lot of emotions and I’m very happy to be here,” Hellberg told reporters on Thursday.
“It’s been very, very difficult and, of course, from yesterday, when it was 100 per cent clear, we could start trying to focus on the game we are going to play. It is the biggest game for most of the players and, of course, for the coaches.”
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Hellberg said he had sympathy for Southampton fans who had bought tickets to the final, but insisted that the responsibility for what happened ultimately lay with the club.
“Of course, I have a lot of sympathy for supporters paying for tickets, thinking they’re going to go to Wembley. It’s massive for some players who were not involved and tried,” the Swedish manager said.
“It’s been weird for a lot of different teams and supporters. That is not fair to them, but it also comes from the decision they have made.”
Southampton crossed a line
Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic said it was a relief to finally know who his side would face in the final this weekend.
“We prepared for Southampton for at least the last seven days. Why? Because they won and got through to the final. And after Tuesday, after this decision, we automatically switched to Middlesbrough,” he said.
“But like I said, we know all these teams. We faced them twice, so we know everything about them, they know everything about us, and then it’s not so difficult to prepare for this game.”
Jakirovic said Southampton had broken the rules.
“They crossed a line, 100 per cent. The most important thing is that they caught him,” he added.
“But it’s not on me. My opinion doesn’t really matter because the independent panel made this decision. My job is to prepare my team for the final and try to get to the Premier League.”
Published on May 21, 2026