The Hull City Official Supporters Club has criticised the English Football League for not having fixed sanctions over alleged ‘spying’, saying the resulting uncertainty over the Championship play-off final is unfair on supporters. That uncertainty follows a charge that Southampton monitored a Middlesbrough training session ahead of their semi-final.
The EFL issued a statement saying an independent commission hearing would take place by Tuesday and warned that disciplinary proceedings and possible appeals could still force changes to the scheduled May 23 fixture, the report says.
Supporters planning to attend the match now face financial and logistical uncertainty after committing money on tickets, travel and accommodation, the club supporters group said. The HSOSC has been liaising with other fan groups and placed blame on the EFL for not publishing a set punishment for breaches of the rule on ‘spying’, arguing that fans and the club are being penalised by the lack of a clear process.
Both clubs provided ticket and travel information to supporters on Thursday evening, with the sales process starting on Friday. Each side has been allocated 35,984 tickets, per the report, but moving the match appears problematic because the following weekend is already booked at Wembley for rugby league’s men’s and women’s Challenge Cup finals and the Women’s FA Cup final the day after.
The report adds that Wembley is then scheduled for non-football events from the following weekend, including a run of concerts. Hull’s sporting director Jared Dublin told Hull Live the club would continue preparations for Southampton and stressed the desire not to attend Wembley under any cloud of excuses or distractions as everyone awaits the outcome of the EFL hearing.
