Hull owner Acun Ilicali could take further action as he speaks on Southampton’s playoff expulsion

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has told Sky Sports he could take further action as he speaks on Southampton’s playoff expulsion.

Ilicali expressed frustration in an interview over the lack of clarity over the Championship playoff final with Southampton being expelled from the competition and replaced by Middlesbrough.

Southampton have since appealed the decision with the hearing expected from 6pm on Wednesday evening. Should the decision be upheld, it cold be further disruption for Hull, their preparations have been on Southampton, and instead just a few days to turn their focus on Middlesbrough.

The richest game in football will see the playoff final winners pick up £200m, with Ilicali saying Hull have been put in an unfair predicament, as per Sky Sports’ live blog.

Interview with @acunilicali on @SkySportsNews this afternoon as the events of #Spygate hit @HullCity and their fans the hardest despite being the innocent party in this ongoing fiasco #hcafc #UTT @SouthamptonFC @Boro pic.twitter.com/Ry8SqaylSl

— Peter Johnson (@Pjohnnners) May 20, 2026

Interviewer: “I’ll come to your preparations in just a moment but the punishment that Southampton have been given at this stage do you think that’s fair?”

Acun: “I cannot judge it because I told it before the judgment too because I don’t know enough details so I don’t know what happened details. so for me I don’t want to accuse any club any owner anybody but of course there are some things so that there has been a process, so it’s not me to judge whether how much should they’d be punished.”

Interviewer: If it was your club and one of your analysts that allegedly go and watch other teams training sessions, how would you have dealt with the situation if it even brought to you that your staff were doing what Southampton have?”

Acun: “I mean, if it has been done something like that, obviously and completely solid, I would immediately, of course, make a change. Because in my life I had so many difficulties, had good times, bad times, but thinking like in such a way that getting the benefit of another club by using illegal way is not my type for the sake of the club, we have a beautiful club, beautiful fans, and I wouldn’t like to make them unhappy with a situation like this. Everybody can make mistakes by the way, I respect that. But when you make mistakes, you will pay the price.”

Interviewer: “So from your perspective, is the big frustration the lack of clarity as to who you would be playing and how different the preparations are, whether it be Middlesbrough or Southampton?”

Acun: “Completely, you are right. Actually, for eight days we have been prepared for Southampton. Now, night, day, now today, the team is off. So there’s no training. Wednesdays we always give off to boys. Then it comes to Thursday and Friday you cannot train. So maybe one day preparation, a full training. So we missed nine days of training. So in this case, actually, we are very disappointed. I believe in my boys 100%. I believe in our coach 100%. When you look at the pictures, it doesn’t seem like too much fair that we don’t know who we play and we just focus on Southampton for eight, nine days. And of course, now in two days, we have to change everything. Everybody will be on the same page. Like everything has to be very fair in football. This is like big business, big hopes. We are having a big dream. So why should our dream should be spoiled because of something and if it is spoiled we shouldn’t be get harm so I don’t want my team to get harm and we are in a point like now the coaches were upset, the players of course is shocked now and also there’s an international duties so we just ask permission even for the possible celebration we couldn’t get permission from the coaches of our national players, we have seven national players, and if the game is postponed, it’s a big, big problem this time. So actually we don’t know what to do.”

Interviewer: “Just to confirm that the game is played on Saturday and Hull were not to win, that would not be the end of the story for you and you would take the situation further with the EFL?”

Acun: “Actually we want to know in detail first of all. Of course we will try to understand completely in detail what is the situation. We have to be informed about it. And when we are informed about it, of course we will decide what to do. At the moment we don’t have enough information are just like public information, like the game, okay, Southampton is coming and it’s a change. We have to get the reasons why, why it happened, why this happened. Then we will go to a conclusion. But of course, I’m representing a big club and of course a big family and I will not let our family get harmed with injustice and I believe in the British justice system, I’m sure that nobody will get harmed with injustice decisions, so first we have to learn more details.”

Interviewer: “For you what would have been the ideal scenario would it have been to try and postpone the game to some point next midweek or the week the following weekend?”

Acun: “This Sunday the players have to go. Our international players have to go. So cancellation is another problem. Of course I would like to cancel the game, but this time our international players, if we lose them, what will happen? If they don’t get permission, if they have to go, what will happen? So many details one to another. So about the process, of course, we have to check, I mean, from our side, because now we are in the final, we passed the semi-final and waiting for our opponents. Now there is a change in the opponent. Even small details in financial fair play can affect point deduction or sometimes big, big point deduction or maybe fines, you know. So I believe in British football and I believe in justice. So I hope this justice will occur in detail that if we get damaged and if there is an injustice.”

Interviewer: “Is there a part of you that thinks that because Southampton won the game over two legs on the field that Middlesbrough shouldn’t have been reinstated, that Southampton should have been removed from the process and therefore Hull should have just been promoted, there shouldn’t even have been a final because of the way it’s gone?”

Acun: “The situation is like this. There are maybe three or four ideas about it. One of the ideas can be found logical, this process, but second idea for example is is there a decision about the game between Southampton and Middlesbrough? No. There has not been given a decision about this game. I mean if you say this game was not played properly and we just make the winner Middlesbrough, I respect it and it can be. But if this decision is not given as Middlesbrough is the winner, if Middlesbrough is not the winner, there is another people, there are some people thinking that if they are not the winner, how can they win the final this time? You don’t win and you get to final. If in order to finish this mess, I think Middlesbrough has to be chosen as a winner in this game, so that they can go to the final. But in this case it comes another question is Middlesbrough evidence about this game is there enough to announce Middlesbrough is the winner?”

Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook report – “Hull City are consulting lawyers to see if they have a case to be promoted straight to the Premier League after Southampton (subject to an appeal) were expelled from the Championship playoffs.

“Hull are unhappy at the prospect of facing Middlesbrough at Wembley having spent over a week preparing to play Southampton.

“Saints appeal is this evening and they will argue the punishment is too harsh.

“Hull’s players had a pre-planned day off today and will return tomorrow with either two days to prepare for Boro, or potentially learn the final is against Southampton again.

“Hull are leaving legal avenues open, including the prospect of a challenge after the final.”