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Southamptons Flynn Downes vows to fight on after Spygate setback
The Saints have a chip on their shoulder, and midfielder Flynn Downes says that’s exactly what will drive them through a season that starts with a four‑point deduction. The penalty came after Southampton were expelled from the 2025‑26 EFL Championship play‑offs for admitting they filmed rival training sessions, and the Football Association has charged head coach Tonda Eckert with bringing the game into disrepute.
Downes, who joined the club on loan from West Ham in 2023 and signed permanently in the summer of 2024, has already crossed the 100‑appearance mark for the Saints. He has scored six goals and supplied four assists, and the 27‑year‑old says he feels “in the best shape of his career” as his football IQ and physical condition continue to improve.
"Everyone feels ready to go now," Downes told BBC Radio Solent. "Personally, I feel really good and, to be honest, this is probably the best I have ever felt. The gaffer’s been unreal with me. I feel like my game’s developing, my football IQ’s getting better and physically I’m improving too – let’s see what the season holds."
Southampton’s pre‑season training camp in Germany yielded two victories, against Eintracht Braunschweig and Preußen Münster, and the club will kick off its Carabao Cup run with a match against League Two side Colchester United on Saturday. The following weekend, the Saints will open the league campaign against Watford.
"The club, players and staff have really come together," Downes added. "It’s as if we have a chip on our shoulder and we want to put those wrongs right. We’re going into the season to win the league this year. I know we’re starting on minus four points, but our mindset is that we’re winning this league and that’s it. We had the chance last year but didn’t get to achieve it for whatever reason, but we’re looking strong so far."
The Saints earned promotion to the Premier League in 2024 after winning the 2024 Championship play‑off final, only to be relegated back to the Championship in April 2025 with seven games remaining. The current campaign therefore marks a return to the second tier, with the Spygate penalty adding an extra hurdle.
Club officials remain focused on preparation for the new season while the FA continues its investigation into the spying allegations. The outcome of the FA’s review will determine whether further sanctions—such as a longer points deduction or a ban on the manager—will be imposed.
For supporters, the key questions are whether the team can overcome the early deficit, how the club will respond to the pending FA decision, and whether the squad’s pre‑season form will translate into results on the pitch. The next few weeks will see Southampton face Colchester United in the Carabao Cup and then begin league action against Watford. Downes says the campaign is built on a desire to right the wrongs of the past and secure promotion.
The FA’s final verdict on Tonda Eckert’s conduct remains pending, and the club’s future will depend on that decision. Until then, Southampton’s focus remains on training, match preparation and maintaining the collective resolve that Downes described as a chip on the team’s shoulder.
Downes, who joined the club on loan from West Ham in 2023 and signed permanently in the summer of 2024, has already crossed the 100‑appearance mark for the Saints. He has scored six goals and supplied four assists, and the 27‑year‑old says he feels “in the best shape of his career” as his football IQ and physical condition continue to improve.
"Everyone feels ready to go now," Downes told BBC Radio Solent. "Personally, I feel really good and, to be honest, this is probably the best I have ever felt. The gaffer’s been unreal with me. I feel like my game’s developing, my football IQ’s getting better and physically I’m improving too – let’s see what the season holds."
Southampton’s pre‑season training camp in Germany yielded two victories, against Eintracht Braunschweig and Preußen Münster, and the club will kick off its Carabao Cup run with a match against League Two side Colchester United on Saturday. The following weekend, the Saints will open the league campaign against Watford.
"The club, players and staff have really come together," Downes added. "It’s as if we have a chip on our shoulder and we want to put those wrongs right. We’re going into the season to win the league this year. I know we’re starting on minus four points, but our mindset is that we’re winning this league and that’s it. We had the chance last year but didn’t get to achieve it for whatever reason, but we’re looking strong so far."
The Saints earned promotion to the Premier League in 2024 after winning the 2024 Championship play‑off final, only to be relegated back to the Championship in April 2025 with seven games remaining. The current campaign therefore marks a return to the second tier, with the Spygate penalty adding an extra hurdle.
Club officials remain focused on preparation for the new season while the FA continues its investigation into the spying allegations. The outcome of the FA’s review will determine whether further sanctions—such as a longer points deduction or a ban on the manager—will be imposed.
For supporters, the key questions are whether the team can overcome the early deficit, how the club will respond to the pending FA decision, and whether the squad’s pre‑season form will translate into results on the pitch. The next few weeks will see Southampton face Colchester United in the Carabao Cup and then begin league action against Watford. Downes says the campaign is built on a desire to right the wrongs of the past and secure promotion.
The FA’s final verdict on Tonda Eckert’s conduct remains pending, and the club’s future will depend on that decision. Until then, Southampton’s focus remains on training, match preparation and maintaining the collective resolve that Downes described as a chip on the team’s shoulder.
