Grimsby Town Fined £20,000 for Ineligible Player in Carabao Cup Win Over Manchester United

Grimsby Town have been fined £20,000 for fielding an ineligible player during their dramatic Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United.

The League Two side stunned Old Trafford by knocking out the Premier League giants on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time, eventually triumphing 12-11 in the shootout.

However, the club breached competition rules by bringing on midfielder Clarke Oduor, who had joined on loan from Bradford City just the day before. His registration was submitted one minute and 59 seconds after the 12:00 BST deadline, meaning he was ineligible to play. Oduor entered the match in the 73rd minute and later saw his penalty saved by Andre Onana, though Grimsby still advanced.

The EFL confirmed that Grimsby self-reported the error, stressing the club had “no intention to deceive or mislead”. Half of the fine — £10,000 — is suspended until the end of the season.

Manchester United, who were informed of the situation on Monday, will not appeal for reinstatement into the competition. The EFL said the punishment “followed precedent”, noting that Liverpool, Accrington Stanley and Sunderland were all fined — but not expelled — in similar past cases.

Grimsby manager David Artell and his squad will now face Sheffield Wednesday in the third round later this month.

In a statement, the Mariners explained the delay: “The registration was submitted to the EFL at one minute past the deadline and the issue was not immediately identified by the club due to a computer problem being experienced. We accept the fine imposed and fully recognise the importance of adhering to competition rules.”

The club added that it has since carried out a thorough review of its processes and introduced new safeguards to ensure such an incident cannot happen again.