Phil Parkinson calls for football to move on from Southampton Spygate scandal
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson believes it is time to draw a line under Southampton's Spygate saga following the Football Association's recent verdict.
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Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson believes the football world should now close the chapter on the Southampton Spygate scandal. Following the Football Association's recent verdict, the 58-year-old has called for everyone to move on.
Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert received a six-week suspended ban and a £28,000 fine from the FA. This follows previous sanctions for the club, including a four-point deduction for the current season and their exclusion from last year's promotion play-offs for spying on three Championship opponents.
Parkinson, while admitting he was confused by the length of the investigation, believes the price paid by the Saints is already significant. "They lost the chance to get into the Premier League. That is punishment enough," Parkinson said. "Tonda is a young manager, and I'm sure he has accepted responsibility. He will learn from that, but now everybody has to draw a line through it and move on."
As for his own side, Parkinson is focusing on getting back to competitive action after a three-week international break. The Wrexham boss noted that the team utilized the time for fitness work and a friendly match against Wigan to stay sharp for the remainder of the Championship campaign.