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Head coach Kim Hellberg called this period a “rollercoaster of emotions” as despite doing so many things going well during the season, Boro were left with nothing tangible to show for it.
They spent 35 of the 46 matchdays in the Championship’s top two and went top in early February after a sparkling spree of six straight wins, but they were crucially undone by a late run of only two
Southampton have been thrown out of the play-offs after admitting they spied on three clubs in the Championship season.
The EFL charged Saints with watching training sessions of Oxford United and Ipswich Town, in addition to filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play-off semi-final on 7 May.
The independent disciplinary commission also handed Southampton a four-point deduction in the Championship for next season.
Saints will
Most of the attention around Middlesbrough’s statement on Friday will centre around the club wanting Southampton thrown out of the play-offs.
We sort of knew this anyway, of course, but Boro coming out and putting it on the record ramps up the story another notch.
But buried in the detail is one important fact: the Riverside club have not been named by the Independent Disciplinary Commission as an “interested party”.
Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg accused Southampton of trying to cheat and said every club in the Championship “should be angry” as the ‘spygate’ controversy reached a new level of animosity.
The astonishing episode dominated the build-up to the play-off semi-final between the sides.
Following Saturday’s goalless draw in the first leg of that tie, Hellberg criticised what he believes to be Southampton’s underhand tactics.
The alleged incident occurred on Thursday
Hackney is not the only key player that Boro have lost during the run-in.
Top scorer Morgan Whittaker did not feature in five of the seven winless games across March and April, while defender Alfie Jones has been absent since Christmas after ankle surgery.
But Hellberg is thankful how Redcar-born Hackney has shrugged off personal disappointment to maintain a positive presence in and around the squad.
“Of course it’s tough
The English Football League (EFL) has launched an investigation into an alleged case of spying by Southampton on Middlesbrough before they meet in the Championship play-offs.
The first leg of their semi-final takes place at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, with the return at St Mary’s on Tuesday.
BBC Sport has learned Saints’ performance analyst was allegedly caught recording Boro training and taking pictures of tactics late on Thursday morning.
In the 21 play-off campaigns since the Championship era began in 2004-05, the club finishing in third during the regular season has won promotion the most often.
Recent history shows that teams finishing in fourth place are well set up for promotion, too.
The past six Championship play-off winners have all finished in either third or fourth, of which four successful sides have finished in fourth spot.
With nine of
Position: Third, 83 points (GD +15)
Top scorer: Femi Azeez – 11 goals
Key stat: 41% of Millwall’s Championship goals this season came from set-pieces (26/64 – excluding penalties). Only Sheffield Wednesday (48%) and Oxford United (44%) had a higher proportion.
Play-off record: Eight campaigns, two promotions (both in League One in 2010 and 2017).
Last time in second-tier play-offs: 2001-02 – lost 2-1 on aggregate to Birmingham City in
The Stok Cae Ras was a sea of red as supporters from both clubs gave their all knowing so much was at stake.
However, the home faithful were silenced in the fourth minute as Callum Brittain’s cross was turned into the net by Conway from close range.
Only Watford have claimed more points from losing positions than Wrexham in the Championship this season, and the Red Dragons responded well to
Wrexham director Shaun Harvey has already stated the 2025-26 season will be viewed as a success for the club – regardless of whether or not they gain promotion to the Premier League.
And Parkinson feels his side, who have already achieved their highest-ever league finish, can take huge pride from finishing above clubs such as Leicester City, Birmingham City and Watford in the second tier this season.
“When we look