Hull Owner Acun Ilicali Threatens Legal Action if Middlesbrough Beat Tigers in Championship Final
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 23
Hull Owner Acun Ilicali Threatens Legal Action if Middlesbrough Beat Tigers in Championship Final
6 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 23
Acun Ilicali said Hull City will pursue legal action if they lose Saturday's Championship play-off final, arguing Middlesbrough should not have been reinstated after their semi-final defeat.
Southampton were expelled just 72 hours before the Wembley final after admitting they spied on Middlesbrough's training session, and their appeal against that sanction was rejected the next day.
Ilicali called Boro's return "unbelievable," saying if Southampton's offence justified expulsion then the competition should have been reset earlier rather than restoring an already eliminated team.
The dispute has widened beyond the final: the FA has opened its own investigation after Southampton also admitted spying on Oxford United and Ipswich Town, while Hull say the uncertainty disrupted their preparation.
Did expelling Southampton for spying create a fair final, or just punish Hull City as well?
What legal precedent will be set if Hull City's owner sues the league over the play-off final?
Is a £200 million match now defined by lawyers instead of players on the pitch?