Grimsby Town succeeded in achieving the biggest night of its recent history only by knocking out Manchester United from the Carabao Cup. What should have been a fairytale win now runs the risk of becoming a long-lasting debacle. The fourth-division side's being handed a €23,000 fine for the transfer of Clarke Oduor, who was signed on loan from Bradford City on the night before the match, after the deadline had passed.
The accuracy actually renders it laughable: the forms were in 1 minute and 59 seconds beyond the deadline. Barely two minutes. The EFL stood by the sanction and, even though Grimsby had paid the fine, the blunder kept the entrance open for United to appeal. Potentially, in theory, that could even keep them in the competition.
Glory from the spot under threat by the clock
In the field, no question. Grimsby battled to a 2–2 tie and dragged United into penalties. Twenty-three kicks in, the Mariners were ecstatic at a 12–11 triumph. The sour irony? Oduor, the very player signed post-deadline, was the only miss from the spot. He lost, and now he could become the centerpiece of an administrative error that obscures all else.
Grimsby did the honorable thing and accepted their mistake. They reported it to the EFL on their own initiative, admitted the mistake, and said they've done things to ensure it never occurs again. In a statement, the club was to the point: "We accept the fine and recognise the significance of complying with the rules of the competition." Besides paying the fine, they also have to lodge another amount as a security guarantee in case they repeat the same mistake.
The weight of the call and United's looming shadow
At least, not yet, is an instant elimination talked about. Liverpool had previously fallen in 2019 in the same way when Pedro Chirivella was late registered. They paid their price and stayed in the tournament. The contrast here is glaring: a battered giant is at stake. United, embarrassed by the defeat, has until Monday to make an appeal. If the EFL accepts it, the result would be reversed and United would be restored, traveling to play Sheffield Wednesday in round three.
Alright, yes, the rules do provide for an appeal, but the EFL must look to what is fair too. If Liverpool wasn't excluded in a comparable case, why should Grimsby now suffer the sanction? Two minutes of administrative holdups surely equate to two hours of football on the pitch?