Wrexham star calls for Championship play-offs to be restarted after Southampton expulsion in bid to rekindle Ryan Reynolds & Rob Mac's Premier League dream

Windass has been left "confused" as to why the Championship play-offs have not been completely restarted following the removal of Southampton from the competition. The Wrexham attacker took to social media to express his bewilderment after the EFL announced that Middlesbrough would simply be reinstated to face Hull City in the final, rather than opening up the semi-final spots to the teams that finished just outside the top six.

The forward made his feelings clear on Instagram, stating: "This Southampton story is one of the maddest I've seen. But why isn't the play-offs starting again with the four other teams? Boro vs Hull would have been the semi!! Confused." Windass’ frustration stems from the fact that a total reset would have seen Wrexham, who narrowly missed out on the post-season, leapfrog into the sixth-place spot and back into contention for promotion to the Premier League.

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The controversy erupted after Southampton admitted to multiple breaches of regulations. Tonda Eckert's side confessed to the unauthorised filming of opponents' training sessions, a scandal that has rocked the division. The Saints had initially defeated Middlesbrough in their semi-final tie, but that victory has now been rendered null and void by the governing body.

The official EFL statement detailed the severity of the situation: "An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs after the club admitted to multiple breaches of EFL Regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training. In addition, the club has received a four-point deduction that will be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table, alongside a reprimand in respect of all the charges."

Had the EFL followed the logic suggested by Windass, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney would have seen their team move up to sixth in the final table. In this hypothetical scenario, Middlesbrough would have played Hull City in one semi-final, while Wrexham would have been prepared to face Millwall in the other. Such a move would have kept the dream of four consecutive promotions alive for the Welsh side, who have enjoyed a meteoric rise under their celebrity ownership.

Instead, the current ruling means Middlesbrough are the sole beneficiaries of the scandal, moving directly into the final. The EFL added: "The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 Play-Offs and will proceed to the Play-Off Final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed."

While Wrexham and Middlesbrough look toward the future, the situation at Southampton is deteriorating rapidly. The club admitted to breaches regarding fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026, and Middlesbrough in May 2026. This systemic spying has not only cost them a chance at a £200 million promotion but has also put manager Eckert’s job in serious jeopardy as owner Dragan Solak is said to be furious, according to talkSPORT.

The Saints still have a potential path for recourse, though time is running out. The EFL noted: "Southampton has a right to appeal the Commission’s decision in accordance with EFL Regulations and the parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May. Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture." For now, Windass and Wrexham remain on the outside looking in, despite the unprecedented play-off drama.