Southampton FC has been kicked out of the Championship play-offs for spying on rival teams. The club admitted to filming training sessions of Middlesbrough, Oxford United, and Ipswich Town. The English Football League has handed the club a four-point deduction for next season. The incident occurred when an analyst for Southampton FC was spotted hiding behind a tree and filming a Middlesbrough FC training session two days before the clubs went head-to-head in a Championship play-off tie. When members of staff at Middlesbrough confronted the man, he fled to a nearby golf club and changed his clothes before leaving the area. Middlesbrough then reported the incident to the English Football League, which launched an investigation. Southampton admitted filming the training session, as well as sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April. On Tuesday, an independent EFL disciplinary commission expelled Southampton from the play-offs and handed the club a four-point deduction for next season. The commission also reinstated Middlesbrough, who had lost 2-1 to Saints on aggregate in the semi-finals. Southampton described the punishment as an 'extremely disappointing outcome' but said it was 'clear that trust now needs to be rebuilt'. The EFL governs the Championship, League One and League Two, and is responsible for enforcing regulations involving clubs competing in those divisions. Serious disciplinary cases can be referred to independent commissions, which have powers to sanction clubs with fines, points deductions, transfer embargoes, suspensions and expulsions from competitions. Southampton's appeal against its punishment was heard by a separate League Arbitration Panel, which upheld the original sanctions. While the EFL can punish clubs, the FA can also investigate individuals involved in misconduct. The FA confirmed on Thursday it had opened its own investigation into the Southampton case. BBC South sports editor Lewis Coombes said that could lead to further action against individuals including the manager, analysts or head of football. 'They could be charged by the FA and face potential fines or bans,' he said.