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Keith Downie gives reconstruction of alleged ‘Spygate’ incident at Middlesbrough training ground

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie gives a reconstruction of the alleged ‘Spygate’ incident at the Middlesbrough training ground.

He explains how the alleged Southampton staff member was caught trying to observe a Middlesbrough training session.

Keith gives a step by step look at the alleged spy’s movements, standing beside a tree, the complex, the golf course’s clubhouse and changing facility.

Meanwhile, Craig Hope has tweeted a picture of Southampton analyst hiding behind tree, seen using phone to spy on Middlesbrough.

First picture emerges of ‘Southampton analyst hiding behind tree spying on Middlesbrough’

Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) said in the reconstruction video: “So this is the Middlesbrough Training Ground.

“You can see over my shoulder there, the main building, a few hundred yards up there, and this is where the alleged incident happened last week.

“That is the main road, private road, I should add, here down into the complex.

“It’s quite a big complex, this.

“And as you can see just over to my right here, it’s pretty clear, private property.

“This is all private area. Now over this fence here is where the Middlesbrough First Team Squad train.

“And this is exactly where they were training last Thursday when they felt that they apprehended a Southampton spy watching their session. And this tree here is central to this situation, this investigation, because they allege that the spy was stood behind this tree filming their training session.

“He was spotted by officials from the club up there in the training ground. Once they realised that things looked a little bit suspicious.

“They ran down this hill and the spy, I am told, packed up his equipment and hot-footed 150 yards over there to the nearby golf club.

“So the spy ran down here to the clubhouse at the nearby golf course, Rockliffe, which is a very busy, prestigious golf course that held the senior open back in 2013.

“And he fled through these doors here into a changing facility, a toilet just in here where he changed his appearance, changed his t-shirt, and then hot-footed through the dining area and out through those doors towards the course.

“CCTV footage showed the alleged Southampton spy then leaving the bar area and moving up towards the first tee box here at the golf course.

“He then fled and made his escape right up through the top of the complex, all private land into the nearby village of Hurworth. And that is where this story began to grow arms and legs.”

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As per the Telegraph, Middlesbrough’s players are to resume training just in case they are to play in the Championship play-off final, although have been given two days off.

Boro, who have also issued a complaint after having bottles thrown at the team bus upon arrival to St Mary’s for the second leg, have put more pressure on the EFL to throw Southampton out of the competition, with the next 24 hours ‘crucial’ as the independent panel reviews evidence.

Various sanctions could result for Southampton – a fine, a points deduction or even expulsion from the play-offs.

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Here’s the social media reaction after Keith Downie gives a reconstruction of the alleged ‘Spygate’ incident at the Middlesbrough training ground…

@miffta: 😆😂😂😂😂 this is tv Gold this like hahah @SkySports_Keith, can you do a re-Run but dress up and do the exact actions of the so called “SPY” please, in real time aswell.

@max_royals: I’m not being funny but this whole thing has been blown out of proportion so much.

@danlukeashby: Next you will be using actors to reenact it. That’s probably tomorrow’s reporting.

@HLTCO: I’m no expert but if you’re going to spy on a training session, standing behind a single tree feels like you’re begging to get caught. 😂

@secondtierpod: No wonder the analyst got caught. Really shit hiding spot.

@TheGraySon72: Sky Sports going full Crimewatch. 😂😂

@Sanny_Rudra: This video is absolutely incredible. A step-by-step reconstruction of Spygate 2.0 – with every step mapped out! 🙌🏾😂 @SkySports_Keith 👏🏾

@Regista10_: So the “spy” stayed outside the fence and just watched from a far onto an open uncovered training field? Ok. 😅

@C_Farmerr: This is peak championship. Loved this last week or so. Spies, taking the piss out of oppo’s players, throwing stuff at teams coach as they’re driving in & Millwall and hull going at it both legs. What a league

@eggbassett1: Sounds like a golfer looking for his ball

@lambert83608575: Wait I thought he was caught and told to delete the footage which he did! Also thought it was a bush now a tree right on front of gate that says private property do not enter! So basically anyone and everyone potentially can film a boro training session

@garyhakin: He might just have been bird spotting in the tree, for the rare Boro cuckoo 🤔

@forder_tom: This has to be the most pathetic report from sky I’ve ever seen. I knew their reporting was pretty terrible but this takes it to new lows 😂. Am I watching crimewatch?

@chrmark: Did he observe the training from a public place? If so he hardly did anything illegal. If he entered the closed area it could however be problematic. Maybe Spygate should be named Spingate instead

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