The millions English club has been fined for handing Kenyan midfielder debut against Manchester United
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 02.09.25. | 16:27
Grimsby will only pay the additional £10,000 fine if they commit a similar offence before the end of the 2025/26 season
A late registration of Kenyan winger Clarke Oduor has cost Grimsby Town £20,000 (Ksh 3,456,242 million on current exchange rates) after the club was found guilty of breaching competition rules in their EFL Cup clash against Manchester United.
The League Two side stunned United in the second round last week, edging them 12-11 on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw in regulation time at Blundell Park.
Oduor, who joined the club just a day earlier, was introduced in the 73rd minute.
Although he missed his spot-kick in the shootout, Grimsby still progressed to the third round at the expense of the Premier League giants.
However, it has since emerged that Oduor was ineligible to feature.
His registration was submitted at 12:01 am, one minute past the Tuesday midnight deadline, rendering him unavailable under competition rules.
"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," read a statement from the English Football League.
“The breach relates to the Club fielding an ineligible player against Manchester United in a Round Two tie on 27 August 2025. The circumstances leading to this transgression are that Grimsby Town submitted the registration of Clarke Oduor at 12:01 am on the day before the fixture, i.e., shortly after the 12:00 am deadline required in accordance with the 2025/26 competition rules.”
The club self-reported the breach the following day, prompting a review. The EFL concluded that the offense was not deliberate and imposed only a fine, consistent with previous rulings.
“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.
Grimsby will only pay the additional £10,000 fine if they commit a similar offence before the end of the 2025/26 season.
