Grimsby Town were fined - by the EFL - for fielding an ineligible player during their astonishing penalty shootout win over Manchester United.

Grimsby Town boss David Artell says that nobody can take away his players' performance after their astonishing Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United.

Controversy has surrounded the Mariners over the last week, with the EFL having handed Town a fine for fielding an ineligible player in their miraculous second-round victory.

United are not thought to be preparing an appeal against the League Two side's punishment, which resulted in a £20,000 fine for their clerical error.

It is understood the Mariners self-reported the infraction and the EFL announced their decision, despite previous precedent in the FA Cup seeing teams thrown out of the competition.

Artell spoke to BBC Radio Humberside on Thursday to preview his team's upcoming clash with MK Dons, insisting nothing can change a glorious night in Grimsby's history.

"The club has made a statement and I refer them to the statement," stated Artell. "From my point of view as head coach, no one can take away that performance. Nobody can.

"We were the better team for 70 minutes or for 75 minutes. We should have been 3-0 regardless of everything else that has gone off since, and I am extremely proud of the performance of the players, all of the players. I thought we deserved to win the game.

"What happens surrounding that isn't in my domain [to say] but, like I say, nobody can take away the performance of the players and the manner of the victory, certainly not in my eyes anyway.

"What happened was unfortunate, we owned up, made a statement, let everyone know and we move on."

Grimsby followed up their victory over United with a 1-0 loss to Bristol Rovers last weekend and will be bidding to return to winning ways when they face MK Dons on Saturday.

(Manchester News)

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