Grimsby Town must pay a £20,000 penalty after using an unregistered player during their stunning penalty shootout triumph against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup last week.
The League Two club registered midfielder, Clarke Oduor one minute and 59 seconds past the registration deadline for their second-round clash at Blundell Park.
The administrative error came to light after Grimsby's dramatic victory, which saw them prevail 12-11 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in normal time, despite the Mariners leading by two goals.
Oduor entered the match as a 73rd-minute replacement for George McEachran while his team held the 2-0 advantage. The Mariners conceded twice after his introduction and he later failed to convert his penalty attempt, the only player to do so.
Grimsby Town must pay a £20,000 penalty after using Clarke Oduor who was unregistered during their stunning penalty shootout triumph against Manchester United
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The EFL imposed half the financial penalty immediately, while suspending the remaining £10,000 until the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign.
Grimsby voluntarily disclosed the registration error to league officials the day following their victory.
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Clarke Oduor was the only player in black and white to miss a penalty
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The governing body determined that the infringement was unintentional after examining all evidence, noting the club had no intent to mislead or gain unfair advantage.
Technical difficulties with Grimsby's computer systems contributed to the delayed submission going unnoticed initially. The Bradford City loanee had arrived at Blundell Park just one day before the fixture.
Their ruling aligned with precedents already set from similar breaches in the competition.
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Despite pressure from supporters demanding either a replay or Grimsby's expulsion from the tournament, Manchester United have chosen to accept the EFL's sanctions without challenge.
The Premier League giants have until Monday to lodge any appeal but have already indicated they consider the matter resolved.
The Red Devils' decision follows consideration of historical precedents, including Liverpool's £200,000 penalty in 2019 for using Pedro Chirivella without proper clearance against MK Dons. That case saw Liverpool avoid elimination despite their breach.
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Grimsby were the worthy winners of a tie they dominated for the most part
|REUTERS
However, the FA Cup has shown stricter enforcement, with Barnsley expelled in 2023 after fielding an unauthorised player against non-league Horsham Town.
Grimsby acknowledged their mistake in a Tuesday statement, confirming they "accept the fine imposed and fully recognise the importance of adhering to competition rules." The club emphasised the breach was unintentional and praised the EFL for acknowledging their cooperation.
"We have undertaken a thorough review of our processes and implemented strengthened measures to ensure it cannot happen again," the club stated.
David Artell's team will advance to face Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the third round later this month, maintaining their already remarkable cup run.