Josh Windass did not mince his words. When the news broke that Southampton had been expelled from the Championship play-offs for spying on three rival clubs during the season, Wrexham's forward took to social media with a question that will have echoed around plenty of dressing rooms: why on earth aren't the play-offs starting again?

"This story is one of the maddest I've seen," Windass posted. "But why isn't the play-offs starting again with the four other teams? Boro v Hull would have been the semi! Confused."

It's a reasonable thing to ask. Wrexham, whose remarkable rise through the divisions has been one of football's great stories of recent years, missed out on the top six by just two points on the final day of the regular season — held to a draw by Middlesbrough — and finished seventh overall, nine points behind Southampton. Had Southampton's wrongdoing cost Wrexham those extra two points somewhere across a long and gruelling campaign, the anger in north Wales would be entirely justified.

What actually happened with Southampton's spygate?

Southampton admitted to spying on Middlesbrough's training session ahead of the first leg of their play-off semi-final, and also to watching Ipswich Town and Oxford United train during the regular season. An independent disciplinary commission found them guilty and expelled them from the play-offs, handing down a four-point deduction to be applied next season as part of the wider sanction.

Southampton are contesting the punishment, arguing it is disproportionate. Their appeal is due to be heard on Wednesday 20 May, and the EFL has indicated that, depending on the outcome, Saturday's Championship play-off final between Middlesbrough and Hull City at Wembley could yet be affected. Middlesbrough were reinstated into the competition following Southampton's expulsion.

Where does Wrexham stand?

Replacing Southampton in the play-offs was never going to be straightforward — it was not listed as a potential outcome of the commission's findings. But the club is not simply walking away. Wrexham are waiting for the full written reasons of the verdict before deciding whether there is any course of legal action worth pursuing.

One route being considered is a compensation claim, should those written reasons demonstrate that Southampton gained a meaningful unfair advantage during the regular season — the kind that could be shown to have denied other clubs a realistic shot at sixth place. No formal discussions have taken place yet, but the club is keeping its options open.

"We look forward to receiving the full details of the decision in due course," a club spokesperson said.

Former Hull City defender Curtis Davies has also weighed in, noting on Instagram that Wrexham finished seventh and could reasonably argue their position, while Millwall — who finished third but lost their play-off semi to Hull — might also have grounds to feel aggrieved. It adds further weight to the sense that the ramifications of this scandal extend well beyond the teams directly involved in the play-offs themselves.

Owners join the chorus

Wrexham's co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney both posted on social media in the aftermath of the verdict, with both men taking a somewhat lighter approach to proceedings — mocking Southampton in the way only two Hollywood entertainers probably could. Their humour aside, the underlying mood at the club is one of watchful patience: gather the facts, take proper advice, then decide what, if anything, comes next.

For supporters who packed into the Racecourse Ground week after week believing this could finally be their play-off season, that sense of injustice is real and raw. Whether or not it translates into any formal legal claim remains to be seen. But Wrexham are paying close attention — and Josh Windass, for one, is making sure nobody forgets it.

Frequently asked

Why were Southampton expelled from the Championship play-offs?
Southampton admitted to spying on the training sessions of three rival clubs — Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Oxford United — during the 2024–25 season. An independent disciplinary commission found them guilty and expelled them from the play-offs, also handing down a four-point deduction for next season.
Can Wrexham replace Southampton in the Championship play-offs?
No — replacing Southampton in the play-offs was not listed as a possible outcome of the disciplinary process. However, Wrexham are monitoring the situation and may consider a compensation claim if the full written verdict shows Southampton gained an unfair advantage that affected other clubs' chances of reaching the play-offs.
Is Southampton's spygate appeal still happening?
Yes. Southampton have lodged an appeal against the sanction, which an Independent League Arbitration panel is expected to hear on Wednesday 20 May. The EFL has said the outcome could affect Saturday's Championship play-off final between Middlesbrough and Hull City at Wembley.