Hull City consider legal action hours before Southampton expulsion verdict

Hull City are consulting with lawyers as they consider legal action to be promoted straight to the Premier League ahead of Southampton's appeal verdict.

Just days before the Championship play-off final between Hull City and Southampton, a shocking story revealed that Saints had been expelled from the final due to the controversial spying incident.

Ahead of the first leg of their play-off final, a member of Southampton's staff had spied on Middlesbrough during training sessions to prepare for the match, with it later revealed that Southampton had also been watching Oxford United and Ipswich Town's sessions during the season.

Southampton was therefore charged, and later found guilty, of breaching EFL regulations, meaning the club was kicked out of the play-off final and handed a four-point deduction for next season.

Unsurprisingly, Southampton have appealed the decision, with their legal representation standing before the appeal board on May 20 to plead their case before learning the final decision.

But regardless what decision is made by the EFL, it has been revealed that Hull City, who will now face Middlesbrough in the play-off final, are considering a legal case of their own.

As per talkSPORT, Hull City officials are speaking to lawyers to see if they have a case to be promoted straight to the Premier League following Southampton's expulsion from the final.

It is said that the club are not happy with the fact that they will now be playing a completely different opponent in the final, having spent a week preparing for a match against Southampton at Wembley.

Hull's players had a pre-arranged day off on May 20, meaning they will have just two days to train to play Boro if Southampton learn that they are unsuccessful in their appeal.

The Tigers secured their spot in the final by finishing sixth in the Championship before beating 2-0 on aggregate across their two play-off semi-final meetings.

Should they be promoted, either on the pitch or in the legal battle, it would see Hull return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali addresses Southampton 'spygate' scandal

The news comes after Hull's owner Ilicali expressed his frustrations over the situation and confirmed that the club were considering legal action.

"Under normal circumstances, two teams have reached the final, and one has been disqualified. Our lawyers' opinion is that we should go directly to the Premier League, but they’re examining it right now," he said via Asist Analiz.

"We can't say anything definitive. It’s a bit of a messy situation.

"We had been preparing for Southampton for 10 days. All the planning, analysis, and work was focused on them. Now, with the days left until the final, the opponent has changed.

"Tomorrow the players are off, Thursday is the last serious training session. We'll prepare for the new opponent with one training session."