Southampton have appealed against their expulsion from the Championship play-off final after being sanctioned by an English Football League (EFL) independent disciplinary commission over allegations of spying on an opponent’s training session.

The club described the punishment as “manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game.”

The decision, announced on Tuesday, followed Southampton’s admission that they had breached regulations relating to the unauthorised filming of another club’s training session, specifically Championship play-off semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.

As a result of the ruling, Middlesbrough have been reinstated and are set to face Hull City at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League.

Southampton has also been handed a four-point deduction for next season after admitting multiple breaches of EFL regulations.

In a statement, Southampton chief executive Phil Parsons apologised to rival clubs and supporters.

“I apologise to the other clubs involved, and most of all to the Southampton supporters, who deserved better from the club,” he said.

The club said it cannot accept what it described as a sanction that “bears no proportion to the offence,” and confirmed it had submitted an appeal.

Southampton also pointed to a £200,000 fine imposed on Leeds United in 2019 over a similar spying incident involving Derby County, arguing that precedent supports a lesser punishment.

However, the EFL noted that current regulations specifically banning observation of opponents within 72 hours of a match were introduced after that earlier case, to close loopholes and clarify enforcement rules.

The appeal will be heard by an independent arbitration panel later on Wednesday.