Grimsby Town Fielded 'Ineligible' Player In Win Over Man United, Fined 23 Lakhs

Last Updated:September 02, 2025, 16:50 IST

Grimsby Town have been fined £20,000 for fielding ineligible Clarke Oduor against Manchester United in the League Cup.

Grimsby Town's goalkeeper Christy Pym (X, Representative Photo)

Grimsby Town, the fourth division English club that knocked out Manchester United of the League Cup, has been fined £20,000 (or around Rs. 23 lakhs) for fielding an ‘ineligible’ player in the tie. The offense related to the registration of midfielder Clarke Oduor being one minute late to the 12:00 BST deadline on the match eve.

Oduor, signed on loan from Bradford City, came on in the game as a substitute in the second half and missed a penalty in the shoot-out that followed the hard-fought 2-2 draw. Grimsby went on to win the shootout 12-11 and proceeded to the third round at the expense of one of the most storied clubs in the world.

“The circumstances leading to this transgression are that Grimsby Town submitted the registration of Clarke Oduor at 12:01 pm on the day before the fixture, i.e., shortly after the 12:00 pm deadline required in accordance with the 2025-26 competition rules," an English Football League (EFL) statement said.

“The Club self-reported the breach upon discovery, the day after the fixture had been completed. 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. The Board further noted the Club’s non-compliance was not deliberate, with no intention to deceive or mislead. The Club has since implemented several actions to prevent a similar occurrence in the Future," the statement added.

“The Club will be liable for the suspended sum of £10,000 if they were to again field an ineligible player in any League Competition between now and the end of Season 2025/26," it further said.

Grimsby has released a statement acknowledging their mistake, too, and said they couldn’t identify the issue ‘due to a computer problem being experienced at Grimsby’.

“We accept the fine imposed and fully recognise the importance of adhering to competition rules and regulations. This mistake was not deliberate, and the Club acted transparently by self-reporting the breach as soon as it came to light. Since this incident, we have undertaken a thorough review of our processes and implemented strengthened measures to ensure it cannot happen again," their statement said.

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First Published:

September 02, 2025, 16:50 IST

News sports Grimsby Town Fielded 'Ineligible' Player In Win Over Man United, Fined 23 Lakhs

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