Middlesbrough and Southampton’s rivalry is a new one, born out of May’s Spygate scandal ahead of their play-off semi-final first leg.
The two sides would have only wanted to prevail over one another to get into the Championship play-off final once the regular season ended on May 2nd.
However, just days before they were set to meet at the Riverside in the play-offs, Middlesbrough staff caught a member of Southampton’s staff spying on their training session. It created plenty of talking points surrounding the two meetings, of which Southampton prevailed 2-1 after extra time.
After admitting to spying on Middlesbrough, along with other counts against Oxford United and Ipswich Town, though, the Saints were expelled from the play-off final, with the beaten Boro side being reinstated to take on Hull City at Wembley in a game they’d lose 1-0.
Now, all eyes will be on their meetings this season, which could have an even bigger point of interest if news of who Tonda Eckert’s replacement could be, if the German boss is banned, comes to fruition.
Rob Edwards could become interim Southampton boss if Tonda Eckert is banned
While the EFL’s case closed with the expulsion of Southampton from the play-off final, the FA charged Tonda Eckert with misconduct back in July for his role in the Spygate scandal.
With more time to conduct a thorough investigation, the Saints have been waiting with bated breath for what their decision will be. A hearing was set for last Thursday, but an outcome is yet to be decided.
That being said, there is precedent for a lengthy ban. Back in 2024, Canada’s women’s national team head coach Bev Priestman was banned by FIFA for a year after she was caught using a drone to spy on opposition training sessions.
And if the FA uses that precedent, there’s the possibility that Eckert won’t be able to coach Southampton in the near future. The Telegraph reported on Friday that Rob Edwards was in the frame, as the higher-ups at St Mary’s look at a possible interim option in the meantime.
Middlesbrough’s short-lived time with Rob Edwards as their head coach
If a ban does occur and Rob Edwards ends up in the Southampton dugout, either temporarily or permanently, Middlesbrough fans won’t just be going into their matchup with the Saints looking for revenge from the Spygate scandal, but they’d be wanting to get one up over Edwards, too.
Middlesbrough vs Southampton meetings this season
Matchday
Venue
Date
18
St Mary’s Stadium
Friday, 27 November
37
The Riverside
Saturday, 13 March
Last summer, Boro were looking to go in a different direction. The Michael Carrick project had run its course, and many felt that new ideas were needed.
However, after a 10th-placed finish, off the back of an eighth-placed one, there wasn’t too much expectation for that Middlesbrough side last season. Their stock as a club was a little lower than it had been in recent years, and their managerial hire reflected that.
Indeed, Rob Edwards came in, having been out of work since he was sacked by Luton Town. He oversaw their miracle promotion to the Premier League and their battle to stay there, but he had also been the main reason for the Hatters’ eventual double relegation to League One.
He came in with few expectations, for a club that didn’t have promotion demands, but from the first whistle, he’d reignited their standing as one of the better sides in the division.
They won their first four games and went unbeaten through eight, posting very strong defensive numbers, and after 15 games, they were sitting inside the top two, losing just twice in league action up to that point.
Middlesbrough fans still have animosity towards Rob Edwards for how he left them for Wolves last season
In many eyes, Middlesbrough offered Rob Edwards the opportunity to reignite his career in the Riverside dugout. Not many top-half Championship sides would have given him a job after how his tenure at Luton ended, but Boro did.
Therefore, to see him leave just three months into the role for Wolves, after previously stating that the club had to stick together and be a family to succeed, left a sour taste in the mouths of Middlesbrough fans.
To those in the terraces at the Riverside, Edwards had jumped at the first possible opportunity, and to a Wolves side that was already doomed for relegation back to the Championship that season after winning none of their opening 10 games that season.
While Edwards has a rich history as a player with the Old Gold and grew up in Telford, there was a lot of reasoning behind his decision, but it was one that many Middlesbrough fans disagreed with.
They’ve arguably been better off for it, given the potential the club now has under his successor, Kim Hellberg, but those fans haven’t forgiven him just yet.
Rob Edwards leading Southampton into Middlesbrough battle would stoke the intensity of this brooding rivalry
One of the biggest disappointments surrounding Wolves’ abrupt sacking of Edwards over the off-season from a Middlesbrough standpoint was that they were unable to face his side this year in an attempt to showcase what he’d been missing.
If the 43-year-old finds his way back into a Championship dugout over the course of the campaign, though, that matchup will have an added edge. If that proves to be the game against Southampton, it could very well boil over.
How much of an edge would hiring Rob Edwards bring to Southampton vs Middlesbrough? Let us know in the comments.
Boro fans still have a newfound hatred towards Southampton for what they perceive to be cheating ahead of the play-off semi-final last year, and they have that anger towards Edwards, too. If they combine, it’ll be an intriguing matchup for sure.
Middlesbrough head to St Mary’s on November 27 for the first meeting between the two. By then, we’ll definitely know who will be in the Southampton dugout. If it’s Rob Edwards, it could be one of the fiercest affairs of the season so far.
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