Grimsby Town have been fined £20,000 for fielding an ineligible player in their famous Carabao Cup win against Manchester United.
The Mariners knocked out the Premier League club on penalties after the tie finished 2-2 after 90 minutes.
The League Two side brought on midfielder Clarke Oduor, who had joined on loan the day before from Bradford City, as a substitute but later realised he had been registered one minute after the 12:00 BST deadline.
In a statement the EFL said, external Grimsby reported the breach themselves and the “club’s non-compliance was not deliberate with no intention to deceive or mislead”.
They must pay £10,000, with the remaining £10,000 suspended until the end of the season.
The EFL said the board’s decision to issue a fine “followed precedent” and followed a “comprehensive review of all the evidence and considering prior decisions taken in respect of offences in the League Cup”.
David Artell’s side will face Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday in the third round of the competition later this month.
“The registration of Oduor was submitted to the EFL at one minute past the deadline and the issue was not immediately identified by the club due to a computer problem being experienced,” read a Grimsby statement., external
“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.
“We thank the EFL board for recognising our co-operation and intent, and we remain fully committed to maintaining the highest professional and regulatory standards.”
Read the full article here
