The Championship fixtures for the 2026-27 season have been released, and Wrexham wasted no time aiming a pointed dig at Southampton over the infamous Spygate scandal that derailed the Saints’ promotion bid. The Welsh club, scheduled to host Southampton on 19 September, posted a mock calendar on Instagram to its 1.5 million followers showing the date with a spy emoji holding a magnifying glass. The caption read: “Taking us into the international break.” Two days before the fixture, the club added a note to “check training ground” — a direct reference to the espionage that cost Southampton their place in the play-off final.
The post also edited Southampton’s club emblem to include a caricature of a man hiding behind a tree, an image that echoed a leaked photograph of intern William Salt standing behind a tree watching a training session. The image had spread widely during the scandal. Wrexham fans responded with crying-laughing emojis, and the post gained more than 1,000 likes within the first hour. Southampton have not yet publicly responded.
“Wrexham mocked Southampton over Spygate after Championship fixtures revealed.”
The Spygate saga unraveled in May when Southampton were expelled from the £200m Wembley showpiece against Hull City, having beaten Middlesbrough 2-1 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals. The club admitted multiple breaches of EFL rules, including spying on training sessions of Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Oxford United. An independent disciplinary commission described the scheme as a “contrived and determined plan from the top down”. Junior staff members said head coach Tonda Eckert put them “under extreme pressure” to spy on opponents. Eckert later apologised in a video, asking players and supporters for forgiveness. As punishment, Southampton will start the new season with a four-point deduction.
Meanwhile, the Premier League fixtures have also been confirmed, with Coventry City set to face champions Arsenal in the opening weekend. The 2026 summer transfer window remains open across Europe’s top five leagues, with clubs continuing to reshape their squads ahead of the new campaign.