Fellow boss calls for Eckert to be hit with 'severe' punishment for Spygate plot

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert deserves a "severe" punishment from the FA for the Spygate scandal, according to Cambridge United boss Neil Harris.

Eckert will discover his fate on Thursday at an FA hearing, having admitted giving the order for a junior member of staff to spy on three rival clubs' training sessions. Southampton were chucked out of the Championship play-off final in May and docked four points this season by the EFL.

But now Saints are braced for further punishment, with the FA set to announce its decision on Eckert, having charged him with misconduct back in July. The 33-year-old has pleaded for forgiveness in a four-hour meeting with the FA, but could be given a hefty ban.

"[I'm talking] on behalf of myself but probably also every other manager in the Football League and a lot of fans as well," Harris told BBC Radio 5 Live.

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"What happened is bordering on disgraceful. Listening to their CEO (Phil Parsons) saying they've been punished enough, the football club; I agree - Southampton Football Club and the fanbase and the workforce have been punished hugely.

"Tonda has owned it and said it was his decision to spy and send a junior member of staff. He's owned it and the club have decided to stick with him.

"The manager should get a huge ban, in my opinion, as a senior football man in this country. He's gone way across the mark of cheating. We don't do that in this country. There's no place for it in the game over here and it deserves a ban.

"I've seen a couple of bits recently saying it should be two or four-game ban. We're talking about basically cheating and trying to gain an advantage on the opponent.

"So, as you can tell, I feel quite strongly about it - and it's not just me, it's every manager in the Football League that agrees. I think whatever punishment he gets needs to be severe and it needs to be stamped down on. It can't happen again."

Saints chief executive Parsons told the BBC that he felt the club had "taken enough" from the EFL's punishment for what it called a "contrived and determined plan" to spy on Oxford United, Ipswich and Middlesbrough. That is the belief of ex-Southampton striker Charlie Austin.

“I think we should just move on," he told The Sun. “The punishment has been done. They got taken out of this game, which is worth millions.

“Eckert is a young coach. He made a mistake, he’s admitted he’s made a mistake, and he’s learned from it. Just let him get on with his career now. It’s ridiculous this has been dragged out further.”