Playoff final could be moved amid Southampton 'spygate' saga

The Championship playoff final date could be moved if the hearing on "spygate" delays matters.

The English Football League has charged Southampton with spying on Middlesbrough before their Championship playoff semifinal. The hearing will be run by an independent disciplinary commission, and the EFL has announced this will take place "on or before Tuesday May 19." The exact date will be confirmed shortly.

Though the EFL is confident the playoff final -- which is currently set to be between Hull City and Southampton -- will take place on May 23 as previously scheduled, the EFL has not ruled out moving the date.

A statement read: "Supporters should, however, be aware that the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the fixture. The EFL has a number of contingency plans should they be required, which also includes consideration of any appeal process, if required."

The statement said the independent disciplinary commission will issue its decision as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Hull City and Southampton will begin their ticket processes later on Thursday, on the presumption the final will take place between the two teams on May 23.

Southampton won the playoff semifinal against Middlesbrough earlier this week, but the whole fixture was overshadowed by allegations levelled at Southampton that they were caught spying on a Middlesbrough training session in the run up to the first leg on May 9.

A photograph has since emerged, first published by the Daily Mail, showing Southampton first-team performance-analyst intern William Salt allegedly filming a training session ahead of the first leg.

Sources have said that at least two other teams in the Championship hold suspicions of having had their training sessions spied on.

Sources have said that Middlesbrough are pushing for the sternest possible punishment for Southampton to be handed out, if found guilty.

As a result, Middlesbrough's players have come back to the training ground on Thursday and will train in case Southampton are expelled from the playoffs.

Southampton issued a statement on Tuesday saying they had requested more time to conduct an internal investigation.