A Hull supporter who spent around £2,000 to attend the Championship playoff final from his home in Australia says the EFL has "no regard for fans" after allowing the 'Spygate' drama to plunge the game into uncertainty.
Jack Gorbert is a former Tigers season-ticket holder who has relocated to Melbourne and the 27-year-old rushed to secure a flight home to see his side at Wembley following their win over Millwall earlier this month.
With a price tag of almost £1,300 for the return journey, plus an additional £700 in other hotel and travels costs, the ongoing uncertainty has left Gorbert with a major expense and no guarantees that the fixture against Southampton will even go ahead as planned on May 23.
Saints have been charged with breaching the rules by monitoring a training session held by Middlesbrough ahead of their semifinal and there is now uncertainty over whether the showpiece will take place as scheduled.
The EFL issued a statement on Thursday to say an independent commission hearing would take place by Tuesday but, with the possibility of appeals, did warn that "disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the fixture". It has been criticised for not having a fixed sanction for 'spying' breaches.
Gorbert, who attended Hull's previous playoff final wins in 2008 and 2016, told the Press Association: "As soon as the final whistle went at Millwall I was looking for flights and I booked straight away.
"With the situation in the Middle East things are pretty volatile but there's no way I was going to miss out. I'd probably sell a kidney if I had to.
"What's happened is absolutely crazy. Without dropping expletives, all I can say is the EFL has no regard for the fans at all. I've spoken to another fan who is coming from Sydney, and someone else in Peru. But it's not just that, it's fans in Hull booking trains and hotels and disgraceful prices.
"I feel for the club, they couldn't have done any more. I'm more angry at the EFL. I think they were trying to hide behind the fact that Middlesbrough could win and it would go away. But if you bring in a rule then you have to have a punishment."
Although he accepts a free pass into the Premier League would be some compensation, Gorbert feels the sense of occasion attached to winning at the national stadium cannot be replaced.
"If we were going to go up on a technicality I wouldn't say no to the Premier League but everyone wants that big day in the big smoke at Wembley," he said.
"The feelgood factor is really back at this club and I think we'd take over Wembley this time around. I hope common sense prevails."
Hull supporters group: 'Unfair' that fans punished for 'Spygate'
The Hull City Official Supporters Club has criticised the EFL for failing to have fixed sanctions over 'spying,' insisting ongoing uncertainty over the Championship playoff final is "manifestly unfair" on fans.
Hull's prospective Wembley opponents, Southampton, have been charged with monitoring a training session held by Middlesbrough ahead of their semifinal and there is now uncertainty over whether the showpiece will take place as planned on May 23.
The EFL issued a statement on Thursday afternoon to say an independent commission hearing would take place by Tuesday but, with the possibility of appeals, did warn that "disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the fixture."
Supporters planning to attend the match are now in limbo, including those who have committed significant amounts of money on tickets, travel and accommodation.
A statement issued by HSOSC laid the blame at the EFL's door for having no set punishment in place.
It read: "The Hull City Official Supporters Club are currently liaising with other supporters groups to register our concern over the possible moving of the playoff final with the EFL.
"This is a situation in which we have had no influence but in which we are, both as a football club and supporters, being penalised. Any decision to move the date of the final will result in many of our supporters not only losing out financially but then facing the prospect of being unable to attend the re-arranged fixture.
"Given that this is a situation which has largely resulted from the EFL's own error in failing to publish the sanctions for a breach of the rule regarding "spying" on opposition teams we feel this is manifestly unfair."
Both clubs shared ticket and travel information with their supporters on Thursday evening, with the sales process beginning on Friday. The two clubs have been allocated 35,984 tickets each.
Moving the match already looks problematic, with the following weekend ruled out due to Wembley hosting rugby league's men's and women's Challenge Cup finals on May 30 and the Women's FA Cup final the following day.
From the following weekend onwards, the stadium is given over to non-football events, such as Harry Styles' 12 shows between June 12 and July 4.
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Hull sporting director Jared Dublin maintains the club will just continue their own preparations for Wembley as everyone awaits the outcome of the EFL hearing.
"It is not a good look for football, not a good look for the EFL for sure, unfortunately. At this moment in time we're preparing for Southampton, that's all we can do," Dublin told Hull Live.
"We don't want to go to Wembley with any excuses on this, that, distraction, noise, so the message to the players, the message to the staff is 'we're preparing for Southampton away at Wembley and see what comes'."
