Wrexham takes a sharp jab at Southampton after the Championship game is announced
Wrexham have taken a playful dig at their rivals Southampton after the Championship fixtures were announced.
The biggest talking point of the 2025/26 season was definitely the ‘Spygate’ scandal involving Southampton. After a strong season with manager Tonda Eckert, Southampton finished fourth and made it to the Premier League play-offs. They won their semi-final against Middlesbrough 2-1 on aggregate and were set to face Hull City in the final—until the scandal came to light.
Southampton were found guilty of secretly spying on Middlesbrough and other teams during the season. Because of this, they were kicked out of the play-offs, and Middlesbrough took their place in the final. Since then, fans have had fun teasing Southampton about the scandal.
Now, with the 2026/27 Championship fixtures released, Wrexham couldn’t resist joining in. They’re scheduled to play Southampton in September, and Wrexham’s media team made a cheeky reference to the spying incident. Along with a picture of their September games, they captioned it: “Taking us into the international break,” with a spy emoji holding a magnifying glass.
They even added a note on the picture saying “check training ground” two days before the Southampton match. Fans also spotted that Southampton’s badge had been altered to show a man hiding behind a tree—a nod to a leaked photo of a Southampton intern caught spying during training.
Because of the scandal, Southampton not only got thrown out of the play-offs but also faced a four-point penalty for next season. The club appealed the decision but recently found out they can’t take it any further, as the original punishments will stand.
Southampton issued a statement calling the outcome “extremely disappointing” and described their expulsion as “disproportionate.” They acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and said they’re ready to rebuild trust. “This moment is painful, but the club will respond with humility, accountability, and determination to make things right,” the statement said.