Time to draw line through Spygate - Parkinson

What the report says

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has said the football authorities’ decisions over Southampton’s ‘Spygate’ case should now be accepted and that the game should move on. In comments reported by BBC Sport Football, Parkinson said the long-running process had gone on too long, but argued Southampton had already been punished through sanctions from the English Football League and the Football Association.

The FA has handed Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert a six-week suspended ban and a £28,000 fine over his role in the case. The club were also docked four points in this season’s competition after being found guilty of spying on three Championship opponents, a controversy that had an impact on last season’s promotion race. Parkinson said the punishment was severe enough, while also noting remarks from Southampton chairman Dragan Solak that the club had “suffered enough.”

Wrexham were directly affected by the wider fallout last season, narrowly missing the play-offs before Southampton were removed from the final stage of the campaign. Parkinson, a leading figure in the Championship, said he could not understand why the investigation took so long, but felt it was time to draw a line under it. The case matters because it affects sporting integrity, disciplinary standards and the competitive balance in English football.

Parkinson also discussed Wrexham’s own schedule after a three-week break from league action, saying the club used a friendly against Wigan to keep players sharp before returning to Championship duty.