Grimsby Fined £20,000 for Fielding Ineligible Player vs Man Utd

Grimsby Town has been fined £20,000, with half of the sum suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season, for fielding an ineligible player, Clarke Oduor, in their Carabao Cup second-round match against Manchester United. Oduor was registered one minute after the official deadline the day before the game, a breach the club self-reported following their historic 12-11 penalty shootout victory. The EFL Board acknowledged that the club's non-compliance was not deliberate and there was no intent to deceive, attributing the registration delay to a computer problem. Despite the breach, Manchester United will not receive a reprieve or reinstatement in the competition. Grimsby Town has taken steps to prevent future registration errors, and the suspended portion of the fine will become payable if there is another similar incident before the end of the 2025/26 season. Oduor, who came on as a substitute during the match, missed his penalty in the shootout, which ultimately ended Grimsby's giant-killing run.