Southampton seek more time to address spy claims ahead of playoff

May 12 : Southampton have asked for more time to conduct an internal review after being accused of spying by Middlesbrough as both clubs battle to return to the Premier League next season. The Saints host their promotion rivals at St Mary's on Tuesday in the second leg of the Championship playoff semi-final after a 0-0 draw on Saturday.  The winners face Hull City in a Wembley final for a place in the top flight. Southampton were charged by the English Football League (EFL) on Friday after Middlesbrough complained of unauthorised filming at their training ground ahead of the first leg at the Riverside Stadium. While Southampton would normally have 14 days to respond, the EFL said it wanted an independent disciplinary commission hearing as soon as possible. Southampton CEO Phil Parsons said in a statement that the club was fully cooperating while also undertaking an internal review to ensure that all facts and context were properly understood. "Given the intensity of the fixture schedule and the short turnaround between matches, we have requested time to complete that process thoroughly and responsibly," he said. "We understand the discussion and speculation that has followed over recent days, but we also believe it is important that the full context is established before conclusions are drawn." Southampton manager Tonda Eckert declined to answer questions on the controversy, walking out of his post-match press conference on Saturday as reporters persisted.