Parkinson urges closure after Eckert receives suspended Spygate ban

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has urged football to accept the disciplinary decisions in Southampton's spying case after Saints head coach Tonda Eckert received a suspended six-week ban and a £28,000 fine. BBC Sport Wales reported Parkinson's response on Thursday, following the Football Association verdict.

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Parkinson questioned why the investigation had taken so long but said the decisions of both the English Football League and the FA should be respected. He pointed to Southampton's lost opportunity to reach the Premier League as a substantial punishment and said Eckert would learn from the episode.

BBC Sport's report on the ruling said an independent FA regulatory commission suspended Eckert's ban until the end of next season. It would take effect if he were found to have been involved in further spying during that period. He also received a reprimand after being sanctioned for three breaches of FA Rule E3.1.

The FA had sought a three-month ban. The commission instead took account of mitigating circumstances, including Eckert's remorse, and considered that a suspension costing him his job would also further penalise Southampton. The BBC reported that the FA had not yet confirmed whether it would appeal, leaving that question unresolved in its account.

Southampton were expelled from the Championship play-offs in May after admitting spying on training sessions involving Oxford United, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough. They also received a four-point deduction for this season. Eckert apologised in June, saying he had not known the practice was prohibited and maintaining that it had not affected his team's performances.

Parkinson's comments came from a manager whose own side narrowly missed the play-offs before Southampton's expulsion. He referred to Southampton chairman Dragan Solak's position that the club had already endured enough punishment, while calling for attention to move beyond the case.

Wrexham and Southampton have since met on the pitch. The Welsh club won their league encounter 2-1 at the Racecourse last month, with a late own goal by Keven Schlotterbeck deciding the match, according to BBC Sport Wales.