Journalist who asked Tonda Eckert if he is a cheat says Southampton ‘got off lightly’

Journalist Dom Shaw, who requested Tonda Eckert if he’s a cheat, says Southampton ‘obtained off flippantly’ whereas speaking earlier than the playoff last.

Earlier this month, Southampton’s Tonda Eckert walked out when requested if he was a cheat following information rising about Spygate.

Each had been speaking to the media following the Championship play-off semi-final second leg with the Saints popping out on high, a 2-1 victory, Shea Charles with a strike in further time to ship Southampton to the playoff last, dealing with Hull Metropolis on the twenty third of Might.

In his press convention, Kim Hellberg mentioned the ‘Spygate’ saga overshadowed his Boro’s defeat, with it alleged a member of Southampton employees was caught making an attempt to look at a Middlesbrough coaching session final Thursday.

Eckert’s got here to an abrupt ended when always being requested about Spygate and the membership dealing with an EFL misconduct cost.

Shaw requested Eckert “are you a cheat?” to which a fed up Eckert obtained up, and left the room, a Southampton press officer instructed the journalist to have a little bit of respect.

Considering again to the second the Southampton press officer instructed a Boro reporter to “present some respect” after asking Tonda Eckert if he’s a cheat.

Whoof. pic.twitter.com/yEM3ebF0dV

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) Might 21, 2026

On the thirteenth of Might, Dom Shaw spoke to BBC Radio Tees in regards to the second Tonda Eckert walked out of one other Southampton press convention following his “are you a cheat?” query.

Interviewer: What was the response within the room after he walked out?

Dom Shaw: I can think about from the native perspective a little bit of frustration that the press convention has been minimize brief after 5 – 6 minutes however that’s not on me. They selected to chop the press convention brief. They may have answered that. If you’re not a cheat, you’d need to defend your self wouldn’t you?

Interviewer: Completely.

Dom Shaw: Somebody, , I’ve had it a few instances right this moment, how dare you accuse somebody of being a cheat? I haven’t accused anybody of being a cheat. I’ve requested him if he’s a cheat as a result of that’s what he has been accused of. I’m giving him the chance there to defend himself, the proper to answer and , why didn’t he take that chance?

I used to be accused afterwards of doing it on function as a result of I knew that that will be the response, that will be what is going to occur. Me and also you sit in press conferences each week, God is aware of what number of over the course of a season.

It’s very, very uncommon you get a supervisor stepping up and strolling out. So for it occurred twice in 4 days, I believe that claims extra about these concerned on the high desk quite than these asking the questions.

“I believe Southampton have gotten off flippantly!”

The Northern Echo’s Dom Shaw discusses Southampton’s expulsion from the Championship play-off last. pic.twitter.com/TvKx4qmcO6

— Sky Sports activities Information (@SkySportsNews) Might 23, 2026

Reporter: “Dom Shaw from the Northern Echo. Now Dom was the journalist who requested that query to Tonda Eckert after the second leg final week when it regarded like after all Middlesbrough had been out. Dom, you cowl Middlesbrough dwelling anyway, you’ve been there all season. Are you able to consider what’s occurred this previous week?

Dom Shaw: “It’s been a exceptional week. It’s been a exceptional fortnight since after all it first emerged that Middlesbrough had been spied on forward of that first leg.

“And I believe after the second leg, though we knew that Boro had been pushing for the strongest potential sanctions and felt that Southampton needed to be kicked out.

“At that stage, I don’t assume you count on it to occur. You hope it ought to occur. You hope it’s going to occur. You assume it ought to occur. However I don’t assume you possibly can count on it to occur.

“It looks like over the course of final 9, 10, 11 days, there’s simply been a dramatic twist in improvement on daily basis.”

Reporter: “We simply heard that query there that you simply requested within the press convention down at St Mary’s. It was a reasonably large second, that, wasn’t it? And what did you make of the best way Southampton type of responded to that on the time?”

Dom Shaw: “Nicely, simply assume if I’m placing myself in these footwear, if somebody accuses you of being a cheat and also you’re not a cheat, I believe you need the proper to answer. I believe you need the proper to defend your self and say, I’m categorically not a cheat.

“We’ll see what proof comes out. I can solely say a lot at this stage. I believed Eckert’s response was telling that day.

“I believe for Southampton to name for respect that day, given the best way that they’ve carried out themselves. I believe even this week to assert that the punishment was disproportionate after we’ve now seen the proof and the dimensions of what was happening.

“Been expelled from the playoffs in a four-point deduction. I believe Southampton have gotten off flippantly.”

Social media customers reacted after the journalist who requested Tonda Eckert if he’s a cheat says Southampton ‘obtained off flippantly’…

@AndyT3ch: I believe Boro are very fortunate to be there right this moment. Hull ought to have been given a bye to the Premier League.

@OllieSkyrme1: @DomShawEcho 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

@SaintRobinho86: Any probability of asking the identical inquiries to our native journo’s within the pursuits of impartiality? #SaintsFC

@priv_756: 🤣🤣🤣 bullied by the media, kicked out of a recreation value £200m and a -4 deduction, gamers suing the membership, golf equipment suing the membership, very flippantly mate

@moto26261: They did get off, very flippantly.. Expulsion was appropriate for dishonest within the play offs, however solely a 4 level deduction for dishonest from Dec to April within the league is a joke. They affected the entire desk & ought to have been relegated. I hope different golf equipment are lining as much as sue them. 🤬

@AlishaW1709: Alright @SkySportsNews let’s transfer on from us now we could? We obtained the punishment, we aren’t there right this moment. Give attention to the bloody soccer. Not interviewing journalists nonetheless banging on about how we had been fortunate. Give attention to Hull and Boro right this moment sure? #SaintsFC

@danitfc25: Bought off flippantly 🤣 don’t get me incorrect I believe Southampton dishonest ought to face punishment however to say they obtained off flippantly when the punishment is a spot value 200m within the premier league and 4 factors deduction when Leeds solely obtained a 200k effective is bonkers.

@forder_tom: I might be embarrassed to be a Middlesbrough fan right this moment. Shouldn’t be there no matter what we did.

@Binson84: Advantageous would have been ample. Blown approach out of proportion. Ridiculous Middlesbrough are taking part in right this moment. Can’t stand hull however hope they win right this moment

@DonnyGav7: Punish Southampton sure, assume chucking them out is OTT, however that’s the choice. The bit that doesn’t sit proper with me is giving Middlesbrough a second probability. They obtained beat truthful & sq. on the pitch, don’t deserve a second probability, must be Hull going up for me. #EFL #HULMID

@JustSaints_: Balanced. 🤥

@beatlesaint: Yeah cos Saints followers and each single participant and worker of the membership who this had nothing to do with aren’t struggling in any respect right this moment are they? Absolute twat. You have to be higher than this SkySports 😡