Grimsby Town must pay £20,000 for playing Clarke Oduor in their Carabao Cup win over Manchester United.
The League Two side won 12-11 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time.
Oduor joined Grimsby on loan from Bradford City the day before but registered one minute, 59 seconds late.
He entered the match in the 73rd minute and missed his penalty, though Grimsby still advanced.
EFL Recognizes Club’s Cooperation
The EFL confirmed Grimsby self-reported the error and acted without intent to deceive.
The board fined £10,000 immediately and suspended another £10,000 until season’s end.
Manchester United will not challenge the result or seek reinstatement in the competition.
The EFL applied precedent, reviewing past incidents where ineligible players appeared in League Cup matches.
Historical Precedents in the Competition
Liverpool faced a £200,000 fine in 2019 for fielding Pedro Chirivella without international clearance.
Accrington Stanley received a suspended £5,000 fine in 2016 for Janoi Donacien’s ineligible appearances.
Sunderland were fined £25,000 in 2013 for playing Ji Dong-won in an EFL Cup win.
FA Cup rules differ: Barnsley were removed in 2023 for fielding an ineligible player.
Real Madrid lost a Copa del Rey match in 2015 for playing Denis Cheryshev while suspended.
Grimsby Implements Stricter Processes
Grimsby cited a computer error that delayed Oduor’s registration submission.
The club reviewed its procedures and strengthened compliance measures to prevent future breaches.
They thanked the EFL for acknowledging their transparency and cooperation in the matter.
