Grimsby Town have been fined £20,000 after fielding an ineligible player during their dramatic Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United.
The League Two side stunned the Premier League giants by winning 12-11 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time.
But their fairytale upset has been overshadowed after it emerged that midfielder Clarke Oduor, signed on loan from Bradford City the day before the match, had been registered one minute and 59 seconds past the 12:00 BST deadline.
Oduor came off the bench in the 73rd minute and later saw his penalty saved by United goalkeeper Andre Onana, though the Mariners still progressed.
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Grimsby reported the breach to the English Football League (EFL), who emphasized that the mistake was neither deliberate nor intended to mislead.
The punishment includes a £10,000 immediate payment, with the other £10,000 suspended until the end of the season.
United, informed of the issue on Monday, September 1, 2025, have confirmed they will not seek reinstatement into the competition.
In a statement, the EFL said the sanction “followed precedent” after a full review of the case and previous instances.
On the three occasions where ineligible players were used in the Carabao Cup, the outcome has also been a fine rather than expulsion.
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Meanwhile, watch videos from Black Stars first training sessions ahead of WC Qualifiers against Chad and Mali
