The English Football League (EFL) has issued a statement following the revelation that Grimsby Town fielded an ineligible player against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup Second Round. Last week, the Mariners created history by becoming the first fourth-tier team to overcome the English powerhouse.
However, it has subsequently been revealed that loanee Clarke Oduor was not registered in time to play the second-round match. Oduor registered one minute beyond the 12 p.m. deadline established the day before the game. The club self-reported the breach following their giant-killing victory, having identified the error themselves.
The 26-year-old came on in the 76th minute, with Grimsby leading 2-0, but was unable to prevent United from equalising in injury time. The game went to a penalty shootout, and Oduor was the only Grimsby player to miss his attempt. The League Two club has been fined £20,000, half of which will be paid at the end of the 2025/26 season, after advancing via a 12-11 penalty shootout triumph.
The EFL released a statement after Grimsby Town fielded an ineligible player.
“The EFL Board, acting as the Management Committee of the Carabao Cup, has today fined Grimsby Town Football Club £20,000 – of which £10,000 will be suspended until the end of Season 2025/26 – for having breached the Rules of the competition,” the statement that was published on the EFL’s official website appeared to read.
“The infringement involves the Club deploying an ineligible player against Manchester United in a Round Two match on August 27, 2025. Grimsby Town advanced to Round Three with a 12-11 penalty shootout victory at Blundell Park.
“The reasons leading to this infringement are that Grimsby Town submitted Clarke Oduor’s registration at 12:01 p.m. on the day before the fixture, which is shortly after the 12:00 p.m. deadline required under the 2025/26 tournament rules. When the breach was discovered the day after the fixture, the club self-reported it.
“Following a comprehensive review of all the evidence and considering prior decisions taken in respect of offences in the League Cup, the Board determined that the issuing of a fine followed precedent.”
It went on to say, “The Board further recognized that the club’s noncompliance was not malicious and had no intention of deceiving or misleading. The Club has since taken many steps to avoid a similar incident in the future. The club will be responsible for the suspended sum of £10,000 if they field an ineligible player in any League Competition between now and the end of Season 2025/26.”
Barnsley was thrown out of the FA Cup in 2023 for deploying an ineligible player in their first round replay win against Horsham, as reported by Nathan Salt of the Daily Mail. It will be fascinating to watch if the United hierarchy takes any steps to achieve a similar outcome.
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