Portsmouth and Luton top list as 12 clubs are fined for EFL Trophy team

Luton Town and Portsmouth have both been fined £15,000 for failing to field 'full-strength' side during their group stage matches in this seasons EFL Trophy. With a further 12 clubs also being fined lesser amounts

Bradford, Blackpool, Bristol Rovers, MK Dons, Millwall, Charlton, Peterborough, Sheffield United and Southend are the clubs that have been fined £3,000 with Fleetwood being fined £5,000. All the clubs have the right to appeal the fines.

Teams had to start at least five players who had started the previous or following game, or start at least five players who had made the most starts in the league and cup this season.

The English Football League (EFL) said that they considered "mitigating factors" and considered "transgressions that were not within the spirit of the rules" when looking at if anyone should face a fine.

Luton Town, who qualified from their group winning 2 matches including one against West Brom U21's, will have their £15,000 come out of the £20,000 prize money that they received in the group stage.  

Luton  Town chief executive, Gary Sweet, said the club don't feel they should be "paying 'fees' to get our youngsters experience".

"We entered those teams with our eyes wide open and we accept that we would be fined for doing so," Sweet said. "We are staggered, however, that we have been fined the maximum amount for our first offence, which was winning away from home at a club from the division above with half-a-dozen first-team regulars in their team.

"We played nine graduates of our academy in that game at Gillingham, and seven against a West Brom side containing four players, two of whom who were internationals and had been transferred for several million pounds, and still beat both."

JC