Grimsby Town's cup dream: win against Manchester United with reservations!

Grimsby Town's cup dream: win against Manchester United with reservations!

Grimsby Town caused a stir on September 3, 2025 when they knocked out Manchester United in the League Cup. The decisive victory came on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw. But now that success could be called into question as Grimsby Town may have breached the Laws of the Game.

As [laola1.at](https://www.laola1.at/de/red/fussball/international/england/league-cup/manunited-pleite-gegen-grimsby-koennte-annuliert- Werden/) reports, the player Clarke Oduor was substituted on in the 73rd minute even though he was not eligible to play. Oduor's registration was not approved until one minute after it was submitted on time at 12pm before the game, invalidating his participation. Grimsby himself reported this mistake to the EFL the day after the game, which resulted in a £20,000 fine.

The punishment and its consequences

The fine is made up of £10,000, which is suspended until the end of the season unless another ineligible player is fielded. According to nytimes.com, this decision came as Oduor, who joined Grimsby on loan from Bradford City on August 26, 2025, was deemed ineligible to play as he was registered late.

Oduor, who not only came on as a substitute during the game but also missed a crucial penalty in the follow-up, is part of this problem. The EFL has determined there was no deliberate deception by Grimsby and the club said the problem was due to a "computer error". In order to avoid future incidents, the club has now taken measures to improve its registration processes.

Historical context of similar incidents

Similar situations have often occurred in football in the past. For example, in 2019 Liverpool were fined £200,000 for fielding an ineligible player. Other clubs such as Accrington Stanley and Sunderland also had to pay for similar breaches. Additionally, Guernsey FC were recently excluded from the FA Cup because they fielded an ineligible player.

In summary, it remains to be seen whether Manchester United will appeal the result of the game, which is possible until a set date. The complexity and strict rules for player registration are part of professional football, as they are also described in the current football rules, which are accessible within the framework of the German Football Federation.