The English Football Association announced on Wednesday that it has charged Southampton manager Tonda Ekert in a spying scandal. The FA said the manager authorized the observation of training sessions of Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough ahead of their matches against Southampton last season. Southampton, a Championship side, acknowledged the charge in a statement: 'Tonda and the club will continue to fully and transparently cooperate with the English FA.' The scandal led to the team's exclusion from the playoff final for promotion to the Premier League. Southampton were excluded from the final, described as the richest in football, because winning means promotion to the top flight, securing future financial returns estimated at around £200 million ($268.1 million), after admitting to observing opponents' training less than 72 hours before matches. Ekert apologized on Southampton's social media accounts and said that watching training was a common practice in other leagues where he has worked.