First picture emerges of 'Southampton analyst hiding behind tree spying on Middlesbrough'

The first picture emerges of a Southampton analyst hiding behind tree, seen using a phone while spying on Middlesbrough.

Craig Hope posted on social media and the Daily Mail article with a photo of the the moment a Southampton spy was caught in the act.

He tweeted: “EXCLUSIVE: Here is the BOMBSHELL picture of Southampton analyst hiding behind tree & using phone to spy on Middlesbrough!

“Our Spygate investigation reveals strong links of intern to Tonda Eckert & bank card payment trail!”

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Here is the BOMBSHELL picture of Southampton analyst hiding behind tree & using phone to spy on Middlesbrough!

🔍 Our Spygate investigation reveals strong links of intern to Tonda Eckert & bank card payment trail!

👇 FULL STORY 👇 https://t.co/fjS5mh4adO

— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) May 13, 2026

Here’s the Southampton spy, intern analyst William Salt. Extraordinary. Caught in 4K. pic.twitter.com/IVRj0tzvBa

— The Boro Breakdown Podcast (@Boro_Breakdown) May 13, 2026

Keith Downie gives reconstruction of alleged ‘Spygate’ incident at Middlesbrough training ground

As per the Telegraph, Middlesbrough’s players are to resume training just in case they are to play in the Championship play-off final, although have been given two days off.

Boro, who have also issued a complaint after having bottles thrown at the team bus upon arrival to St Mary’s for the second leg, have put more pressure on the EFL to throw Southampton out of the competition, with the next 24 hours ‘crucial’ as the independent panel reviews evidence.

Various sanctions could result for Southampton – a fine, a points deduction or even expulsion from the play-offs.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Middlesbrough’s players will continue training for the Championship play-off final as the club intensifies pressure on the EFL to throw out Southampton

🗓️ Players given two days off but will return to training on Friday🔺 New complaint lodged after bottles thrown… pic.twitter.com/HVomcRblg4

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) May 13, 2026

Middlesbrough fans welcome Southampton with Spygate chant; managers react to scandal

EFL issue statement after Middlesbrough report Southampton for alleged spying on training session

Twitter users reacted as the first picture emerges of a ‘Southampton analyst hiding behind tree spying on Middlesbrough’…

@MatthewBye13: Southampton fans will find a way to deny it in their infinite wisdom – don’t forget, they’re never wrong!

@daniel_utb99: Can’t be Craig, it’s all fake and made up to distract from the fact that we finished 5th???

@TownrowMat72678: This is so stupidly brilliant! How much information is it possibly gonna gain off that! #boro #Saintsfc

@SCOLLLLL: Can’t be, they said it was all made up?

@Ollyjohnson_67: Not true apparently 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@secondtierpod: At least try and hide ffs

@joaogomesloverr: It is such a brilliant picture 😭 what have Southampton even gained from whatever he filmed tho surely can’t have been much

@AdamP1242: It is so over for Southampton 😂😂😂😂

@Teessideracko: 24 hours and we’re back in the play offs.

@MarcTR4: What a pathetic sideshow this “spygate” nonsense has become! We beat Middlesbrough fair and square over the 2 legs and the better team won! You have to play the game and win it ffs! There are far more important issues in the country the media should be focusing on #saintsfc

@saintmattc: That professional recording equipment boro talked about isnt even the latest iphone model lol. To be clear, it shouldnt of happened. But if you think this is the reason boro didnt win the semi (with an unbelievably one sided first leg in boros favour) then youre deluded. #spygate

@TheStatsSaint: Southampton should report Middlesborough to the EFL for this constant leaking and briefing the press. Quite clearly a breach of the “good faith” regulation.

@OpTic_MH: After a thorough investigation the only acceptable thing to do is promote hull city. Did everything by the book and didn’t need to cheat our way to Wembley. #hcafc

@alexlarkin: I genuinely feel sorry for people who do not care about football and therefore get no enjoyment out of this whole saga

@_I_AM_DAN_: So all the talk of high tech equipment, microphones, super advanced cameras was just fabricated nonsense used to fuel the fire?

@Jrs97__: Saints fans in the comments “that’s not professional equipment”. They’ve gone from denying it ever happened to now realising it has happened but it clearly can’t be that bad because he doesn’t have a fuck off camera. Blokes will streaming it back to someone, caught red handed

@jordan323323: What are we doing here if THAT kicks us out of a play off final for fucks sake. 🤣🤣🤣 #Saintsfc

@saintlavoo: It’s a bloke with an iPhone. Sky Sports Crime Watch reconstruction looks even funnier now. #Boro #SaintsFC

@past_sunderland: This is tremendous 😂

@Saints_CJL: They’ve leaked this during an ongoing investigation, blown it WAY out of proportion and are now getting desperate after a poor performance yesterday. We’ll get punished but I don’t think this process is exactly going the way they want… #SaintsFC

@m1cvv: Can’t wait for the Netflix doc on this.

@LukePower_5: Another superb exclusive from Craig Hope, not only bagging a photo of the spying, but revealing how valued the spy is by Tonda Eckert. How Southampton could accuse anyone of disrespect for asking questions is baffling.

@Joe_Olivier_: This story just gets more mental the longer it goes on

@sportingintel: If the Kremlin had access to this kind of sophisticated spying technology, western democracies would be in tatters within days.

@OllieHolt22: More brilliant work by @CraigHope_DM on this. Looking more and more grim for Southampton and Eckert. Refusing to say anything is just not a viable strategy

As BBC sources reported last week:

“The individual is alleged to have been pointing his mobile at the training session, wearing in-ear headphones. Middlesbrough staff believe he may have been live-streaming the session via a video call.”

No professional equipment, no bush. https://t.co/UBa57pKW0r

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonBBC) May 13, 2026