Former West Ham star Flynn Downes has unwittingly played a rather unfortunate role in the Southampton Spygate scandal that has rocked the Championship.
When lifelong West Ham fan Flynn Downes sealed a dream move by signing for the club in a £12m deal from Swansea in 2022, many saw him as the potential heir to Declan Rice.
Boyhood Hammer Downes showed flashes of his ability but failed to establish himself.
The midfielder still managed to be part of the squad which won West Ham’s first trophy for 43 years in his debut season.
Ex-Hammer Downes’ unfortunate role in Southampton’s Spygate scandal
Downes became something of a cult hero for wading in to fight off AZ Alkmaar hooligans who attacked the family and friends of West Ham players and staff during the Europa Conference League semi-final.
Things just didn’t work out for Downes in east London and he was moved on to Southampton for a £6m profit after spending the previous campaign on loan at St Mary’s.
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It has been a rollercoaster few years for Downes. He helped the Saints win promotion to the Premier League while on loan, but then suffered relegation back to the second tier.
Downes once again had Saints on the verge of bouncing straight back to the top flight when they secured a spot in the play-off final against Hull after storming up the league in recent months.
But ex-West Ham star Downes has played an unfortunate role in the Southampton scandal that is unfolding in the Championship.
The Saints have been expelled from the final and hit with a four-point deduction for next season in the Championship after they admitted “multiple breaches” relating to the unauthorised filming of their opponents’ training sessions ahead of games against Oxford and Ipswich as well as the play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough.
Southampton were reported to the EFL by Middlesbrough when they alleged a Saints staff member had spied on a training session on May 7 ahead of their play-off semi-final, in breach of league rules, with the EFL charging them the following day.
Downes’ revealing comments on Eckert preparation resurface
And former Hammer Downes has inadvertently and unwittingly played a role in the scandal since it has come to light.
Comments Downes made about Saints manager Tonda Eckert back in December have been getting a lot of attention in the wake of Spygate.
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The i Paper’s chief football writer Daniel Storey has reposted Downes’ comments where he spoke to BBC Sport in amazement of Eckert’s in-depth preparation on the opposition for matches.
“His (Eckert) attention to detail is unreal,” Downes said.
“Literally every little thing, he just gives you. It makes it so easy. You go out on a Saturday and you know what you’re doing, you know what the other team are doing.”
Whether the players themselves knew just how “thorough” the management team’s preparation was on the opposition only they and the EFL know.
But perhaps not given Southampton’s players are reportedly considering possible legal action against the club for potential loss of earnings having been denied the chance to be promoted to the Premier League.
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