Tonda Eckert ban explained: Why Southampton boss avoided three-month ban

The German's sanction from the Spygate fallout has now been made public knowledge

After months of uncertainty, Southampton and their supporters now know the outcome of the Football Association's independent investigation into Tonda Eckert's involvement in the Spygate scandal.

It has certainly been a drawn-out process that has affected an array of individuals and clubs since Saints were first accused of such wrongdoing in the lead-up to May's play-off semi-finals against Middlesbrough.

Both the club and Eckert have received a range of sanctions from the English Football League and the FA in recent weeks, but there remained an intense amount of uncertainty over whether the German head coach would be able to continue in his current role at St Mary's, despite beginning the current campaign in the dugout.

Saints were expelled from the Championship play-off final just days before the showpiece event at Wembley Stadium on May 23rd and hit with a four-point deduction for the beginning of the season, which has already been wiped out due to the club's early-season form, whilst Eckert was subsequently charged by the country's leading football governing body on three counts of misconduct.

The 33-year-old then appeared at a hearing at the FA's headquarters at the beginning of the three-week international break, but just how was his eventual punishment decided by those on the commission?

How Tonda Eckert has avoided a three-month ban as Southampton head coach

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Eckert initially joined Southampton as the club's Under-21s boss last year, but after replacing Will Still on an interim basis, was given a permanent contract last December.

Saints, of course, ended last season on an emphatic run of form, before it emerged that Eckert had authorised three 'spying' missions on Oxford United, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough.

However, the German was allowed to continue in his position by owner, Dragan Solak, despite the fact question marks still lingered over his immediate and long-term future.

But, a week on from the hearing, Eckert has been given a six-week suspended ban and a £28,000 fine from the FA, but it could have been worse.

It was initially argued by the governing body that the Southampton boss should have received, at least, a three-month ban from all football-related activities, before it was reduced from 16 weeks and then later to six weeks due to Eckert's mitigation and admissions.

The ban has subsequently become suspended to avoid any further impact on Southampton as a club, as well as their supporters.

Tonda Eckert and Southampton will be glad Spygate fallout is over

Southampton had still been viewed as potential promotion candidates despite starting the campaign with a four-point deficit, and now all at the club can now look forward to the future without any doubts.

Of course, that will change if Eckert is to be found guilty of similar activities which go against the FA rulebook, but in a statement from the club, a section reads: "We hope this now brings a conclusion to a regrettable period of our history, and measures have been put in place to ensure that such errors in judgement never happen again at our club."

Several rival fanbases and clubs have also attempted to use the situation as ridicule towards Southampton, with Eckert recently stating that a promotional video from Wrexham sponsors, Firefox, which included Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, was not humourous at all in the eyes of all connected to the South Coast club.

Southampton can now focus on crucial South Coast derby

With Southampton now hoping to draw a line on Spygate, they now have the small matter of Sunday's South Coast derby against Portsmouth to turn their attention to.

If Saints' four-point deduction wasn't applied, Eckert's men would currently sit fifth in the Championship, which speaks volumes about the strength of the squad at St Mary's.