Some stories emerge at the worst possible moment.
Days before one of the most important games in either club’s season; when the football should be doing all the talking.
And yet here we are.
EFL launch investigation after Southampton staff member allegedly caught spying
According to the Daily Mail, an individual believed to be a member of Southampton’s staff was allegedly found hiding in bushes near Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park training ground.
He reportedly filmed a session just two days before Saturday’s EFL Championship play-off semi-final first leg at the Riverside Stadium.
The incident is alleged to have taken place on Thursday morning.
Middlesbrough staff approached the individual after reportedly spotting the recording taking place from the bushes nearby.
What happened next makes the situation even more remarkable.
It is claimed that footage and photographs were deleted from a mobile phone before the individual left the scene.
Reports also allege the man then changed his clothes before departing the area.
Middlesbrough are understood to have reported the matter directly to the EFL.
Where they have confirmed they are investigating the allegation.
At the time of writing, neither clubs nor the EFL had made any public statement regarding the incident.
The timing couldn’t be more dramatic.
These two clubs meet in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Saturday.
Southampton arrive as favourites, having gone 19 games unbeaten
The incident draws inevitable comparisons to the original Spygate scandal.
When Chelsea’s then-manager Jose Mourinho was embroiled in allegations of spying on Arsenal’s training sessions in 2005.
This version has its own remarkable details.
If the allegations are proven, the consequences for Southampton could be significant, both reputationally and in terms of any disciplinary action the EFL choose to take.
For now, all eyes turn to the Riverside on Saturday.
But the story being told off the pitch is threatening to overshadow everything happening on it.
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