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Former AFC Bournemouth chairman and sports lawyer Trevor Watkins has just told BBC Radio Solent: "We look at this and think 'my goodness how on earth has it happened?' ...there's a lot of detail to come out in due course.

"It will be argued by lawyers today, we'll see what the result it - from my perspective it's unprecedented, it's a new rule. I think there is every opportunity for arguments to sway a panel today."

He added: "The fans that go to every game will be so sad today... but there is hope and there will be a future and there will be games next season... where and when remains to be decided."

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Former FA chairman and Manchester City chief David Bernstein said he was "really surprised" and "taken aback by the severity of this punishment".

Speaking on the Today programme, Bernstein said: "It was clear what they did, it was amateurish... it was stupid but I think this is a disproportionate punishment.

"Promotion to the Premier League, other than affecting the whole history of the club and the future of the club, is worth £200-250m, a huge amount of money.

"This offence seems to be a young man hiding behind a tree... it's not a James Bond thing... of the three matches that were spied upon, Southampton didn't win any of them.

"It was a really stupid thing to do."

Saints fans are waking up to the news none of them wanted to hear - the club (as it stands) have been kicked out of Saturday's play-off final.

The decision came on Tuesday evening as Southamptonadmitting they spied on three clubs in the Championship season.

We're bringing you all the reaction as it comes in.

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Former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson praised the EFL for applying a punishment that he feels protects the integrity of the game.

"I kind of quite like it," he said on BBC Radio 5 live.

"It is like when you're a naughty kid. If you admit three or four things, you have clearly done seven or eight, and you have been caught for them all. The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance.

"It is not the first time they have done it. They have offered their hand, and they have paid the ultimate price for it. It is a strong punishment."

As you can probably guess there's been a strong reaction on social media.

Here are a flavour of the comments we've received on our Facebook post about the news, external.

Mitch Hall: "That punishment is way over the top!!!!!!"

Shaun Williams: "Fans turning up in camo suites and binoculars, player celebrating with a binocular gesture to boro players. Whole thing was hilarious wasn’t it... enjoy the 4 point deduction in championship next season..."

Nigel Davies: "So I'm not a Saint supporter. But moving on. [What] is happening to the Manchester City position then? Need to be consistent."

George Pipe: "What about 115 elephants in the room [Man City charges]."

Rita Mackenzie: "Ipswich fan here. I would be incandescent with rage if it were my club. Sorry Saints fans."

Brad Pike: "As a saints supporter I agree with the decision... however I do not agree with the points deduction next season as that is punishment to the Fans and Players who had no involvement in the cheating.I do however believe whoever was involved at the club should face a hefty fine and a ban from any involvement in a football club in the country."

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

So, what exactly did Southampton do wrong?

The English Football League (EFL) charged Saints with breaking two regulations.

EFL Regulation 3.4, which requires clubs to act towards each other with the utmost good faith; and

EFL Regulation 127, which prohibits any club from observing, or attempting to observe, another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two clubs.

Southampton admitted to "multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training", the EFL said.

Fans at The Saints Pub in the Millbrook area of the city were unhappy with the news.

The story isn't quite over yet - sources have confirmed to BBC Sport that Southampton will lodge an appeal on Wednesday and will argue the punishment is disproportionate.

The English Football League said it would be "working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May".

It added that "subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday's fixture".

The appeal will be heard by an Independent League Arbitration panel with three new members.

BBC South sports editor Lewis Coombes has said the "very integrity" of Southampton Football Club has been "undermined" by the Spygate scandal.

The news came on Tuesday evening - Southampton thrown out of the play-offs after admitting they spied on three clubs in the Championship season.

Saints will now miss out on a game dubbed the richest in world football, with the winners of the play-off final guaranteed a minimum £110m in Premier League broadcast revenue.

Middlesbrough, beaten by Southampton in the semi-final, have been reinstated and will now play Hull City on Saturday.

The EFL charged Saints with watching training sessions involving Oxford United and Ipswich Town, in addition to filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play-off semi-final on 7 May.

The independent disciplinary commission also handed Southampton a four-point deduction in the Championship for next season.

Read the full story here.

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Good morning as we bring you all the latest news and reaction after the extraordinary events of last night when it was announced Southampton have been kicked out of the play-off final for spying on three other clubs.