Article #30478

• Club admit breaches but are confident over appeal

• Boro reinstated to take on Hull in Saturday’s final

Southampton could face a legal claim from their players for loss of earnings after the club were expelled from the Championship playoff final for spying on training sessions staged by Middlesbrough and two other second-tier rivals.

The squad have been discussing their options after Boro, semi-final losers to Tonda Eckert’s side, were reinstated to Saturday’s Wembley showpiece against Hull City. It is understood there is widespread fury in Southampton’s dressing room, presenting Eckert and the board with another headache after a fraught period.