The English Football League (EFL) has fined Grimsby Town £20,000 (Ksh 3.5 million) for fielding Kenyan player Clarke Oduor, who was deemed ineligible, during their Carabao Cup Second Round upset over Manchester United.

The EFL Board, which oversees the competition, noted that half of the fine—£10,000—will remain suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The sanction stems from Grimsby Town’s Round Two clash on August 27, 2025, when Oduor featured despite his registration being filed late.

Reports indicated that the club submitted its paperwork at 12:01 p.m.—a minute past the 12:00 p.m. deadline set under the tournament’s rules.

Nonetheless, Grimsby went on to knock out United after a nail-biting 12-11 penalty shootout at Blundell Park, securing a spot in the third round.

“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,” a statement obtained by Viral Tea reads in part.

The board, however, clarified that Grimsby Town’s breach was unintentional, with no effort to deceive or mislead.

It further ruled that the club would face the suspended £10,000 fine if it fields another ineligible player in any League competition before the end of the 2025/26 season.

In its response, Grimsby Town accepted the ruling and admitted to an error in Clarke Oduor’s registration ahead of the Round Two Carabao Cup match against Manchester United.

The club explained that the paperwork was lodged just one minute past the deadline, a delay attributed to a computer glitch that went unnoticed at the time.

“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,” the statement read.

“Since this incident, we have undertaken a thorough review of our processes and implemented strengthened measures to ensure it cannot happen again.”

The club expressed gratitude to the EFL Board for recognising its cooperation and good faith, while reaffirming its commitment to maintaining the highest professional and regulatory standards.

Grimsby’s historic victory saw them eliminate the Premier League giants on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regular time.

Oduor, who joined the Mariners on loan from Bradford City just a day before the clash, made his debut in the game. He came on as a second-half substitute and later missed his spot-kick during the dramatic shoot-out.