Statement: Grimsby Town fined after fielding ineligible player

English Football League ^ | 2 September 2025 | English Football League

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

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 breach relates to the Club fielding an ineligible player against Manchester United in a Round Two tie on 27 August 2025. Grimsby Town progressed to Round Three following a 12-11 penalty shoot-out win at Blundell Park.

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.

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 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.

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TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: football; ineligible; penalty; time

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

Manchester United could have been declared the winner on forfeit. The infraction was a 60-second infraction in that the registration of the affected player was submitted at 1201 -- sixty seconds after the deadline the day before the start of the game.

So a $26,000 fine for a player being entered into the registry 60 seconds after the deadline. Officials decided no reversal of the result for the 60-second infraction.

Talk about missing the deadline. Imagine going to the DMV and finding out you were late by 20 seconds and you are fined because you are waiting in line.

[Dr. Sivana]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7K3ddSNGbA&list=RDM7K3ddSNGbA&start_radio=1

Oh oh Grimsby, a thousand delights
Couldn´t match the sweet sights
Of my Grimsby
Oh England you´re fair
But there´s none to compare with my Grimsby
Through nights of mad youth
I have loved every sluice in your harbour
And in your wild sands from boyhood to man
Strangers have found themselves fathers