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2002–03 Football League First Division

FieldValue
competitionFootball League First Division
winnersPortsmouth
(3rd divisional title)
promotedPortsmouth
Leicester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
relegatedSheffield Wednesday
Brighton & Hove Albion
Grimsby Town
matches557
total goals1512
league topscorerSvetoslav Todorov
(26 goals)
biggest home winNottm Forest 6–0 Stoke,
Wolves 6–0 Gillingham
biggest away winMillwall 0–6 Rotherham
highest scoringGrimsby 6–5 Burnley,
Burnley 4–7 Watford
longest wins7 games
Portsmouth
longest unbeaten15 games
Leicester City
longest winless16 games
Stoke City
longest losses12 games
Brighton & Hove Albion
average attendance15,599
prevseason[2001–02](2001-02-football-league-first-division)
nextseason[2003–04](2003-04-football-league-first-division)
season2002–03

(3rd divisional title) Leicester City Wolverhampton Wanderers Brighton & Hove Albion Grimsby Town (26 goals) Wolves 6–0 Gillingham Burnley 4–7 Watford Portsmouth Leicester City Stoke City Brighton & Hove Albion The 2002–03 Football League First Division (referred to as the Nationwide First Division for sponsorship reasons) was the eleventh season of the league under its current format as the second tier of English football.

Portsmouth won the division to return to the Premier League after a fifteen-year absence. In Harry Redknapp's first full season in charge the team secured the title on 27 April, with a victory over Rotherham, having been promoted with four games to spare by defeating Burnley.

Leicester City were promoted at the first attempt following their relegation. Their promotion was contentious as they entered administration during the season due to debts in excess of £50 million stemming from their loss of Premier League income and major investment in a new stadium, but were able to write-off these entirely when a new consortium took control and therefore avoided having to sell off players. Following this incident, the Football League would introduce rules that penalised any club entering administration with a ten-point points deduction; although Leicester would still have finished in second place had been this been applied.

Wolverhampton Wanderers won the play-offs to reach the modern-day Premiership for the first time after a 3–0 win in the play-off final against a Sheffield United team which had reached the semi-finals of both domestic cup competitions. This marked a return to top-flight football for Wolves after a nineteen-year exodus that had seen them fall as low as the fourth tier. Also leaving the division were Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton & Hove Albion and Grimsby Town, who were all relegated.

Team changes from previous season

From the First Division

Promoted to the Premiership:

  • Manchester City
  • West Bromwich Albion
  • Birmingham City

Relegated to the Second Division:

  • Crewe Alexandra
  • Barnsley
  • Stockport County

To the First Division

Relegated from the Premiership:

  • Leicester City
  • Ipswich Town
  • Derby County

Promoted from the Second Division:

  • Brighton & Hove Albion
  • Reading
  • Stoke City

Team overview

Stadia and locations

Bradford City Brighton Burnley Coventry Crystal Palace Derby County Gillingham Grimsby Town Ipswich Town Leicester City Millwall Norwich City Nottingham Forest Portsmouth Preston North End Reading Rotherham Sheffield United Sheffield Wednesday Stoke Walsall Watford Wimbledon Wolverhampton Wanderers

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Bradford CityBradfordBradford & Bingley Stadium25,136
BurnleyBurnleyTurf Moor22,546
Brighton & Hove AlbionBrightonWithdean Stadium8,850
Coventry CityCoventryHighfield Road23,489
Crystal PalaceLondonSelhurst Park26,309
Derby CountyDerbyPride Park33,597
GillinghamGillinghamPriestfield Stadium11,582
Grimsby TownCleethorpesBlundell Park10,033
Ipswich TownIpswichPortman Road30,311
Leicester CityLeicesterWalkers Stadium32,500
MillwallLondonThe New Den20,146
Nottingham ForestNottinghamCity Ground30,576
Norwich CityNorwichCarrow Road26,018
PortsmouthPortsmouthFratton Park20,224
Preston North EndPrestonDeepdale23,408
ReadingReadingMadejski Stadium24,161
Rotherham UnitedRotherhamMillmoor8,300
Sheffield UnitedSheffieldBramall Lane32,702
Sheffield WednesdaySheffieldHillsborough39,812
Stoke CityStokeBritannia Stadium27,740
WalsallWalsallBescot Stadium11,300
WatfordWatfordVicarage Road17,504
WimbledonLondonSelhurst Park126,309
Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhamptonMolineux27,828
  • Note 1: Wimbledon rented the use of Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park home.

Personnel and sponsoring

TeamManagerKit makerSponsor
Bradford CityENG Nicky LawBCAFCJCT600
BurnleyENG Stan TernentTFG SportsLanway
Brighton & Hove AlbionENG Martin HinshelwoodErreàSkint Records
Coventry CitySCO Gary McAllisterCCFCSubaru
Crystal PalaceENG Trevor FrancisLe Coq SportifChurchill Insurance
Derby CountyENG John GregoryErreàPedigree
GillinghamENG Andy HessenthalerGills LeisureSeaFrance
Grimsby TownENG Paul GrovesAvecDixon
Ipswich TownSCO George BurleyPunchTXU Energi
Leicester CityENG Micky AdamsLe Coq SportifLG
MillwallSCO Mark McGheeStrikeforce[24seven](24seven-company)
Nottingham ForestENG Paul HartUmbroPinnacle Insurance
Norwich CityNIR Nigel WorthingtonXaraDigital Phone Company
PortsmouthENG Harry RedknappPompey SportTy
Preston North EndSCO Craig BrownVoiNewReg.com
ReadingENG Alan PardewKit@Westcoast
Rotherham UnitedENG Ronnie MooreBodylineT-Mobile
Sheffield UnitedENG Neil WarnockLe Coq SportifDesun
Sheffield WednesdayWAL Terry YorathDiadoraChupa Chups
Stoke CityENG Steve CotterillLe Coq SportifBritannia
WalsallENG Colin LeeXaraBanks's
WatfordENG Ray LewingtonKit@Toshiba
WimbledonENG Stuart MurdochPatrickGo MK
Wolverhampton WanderersENG Dave JonesAdmiralDoritos

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableReplaced byDate of appointment
Brighton & Hove AlbionEngland Peter TaylorResigned29 April 2002Off seasonEngland Martin Hinshelwood15 July 2002
Brighton & Hove AlbionEngland Martin HinshelwoodMoved to director of football positiontitle=Seagulls go for Coppellurl=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2307873.stmwork=BBC Sportpublisher=British Broadcasting Corporationdate=7 October 2002}}24thEngland Steve Coppell7 October 2002
Stoke CityEngland Steve CotterillResigned to become assistant manager at Sunderland10 October 200215thWales Tony Pulis1 November 2002
Ipswich TownScotland George BurleySacked11 October 200219thEngland Joe Royle28 October 2002
Sheffield WednesdayWales Terry YorathResigned31 October 200222ndEngland Chris Turner7 November 2002
Crystal PalaceEngland Trevor FrancisMutual consent18 April 200311thEngland Steve Kember23 May 2003
Derby CountyEngland John GregorySacked9 May 2003218th (end of season)Scotland George Burley5 June 20033
  • Note 2: Although Gregory was dismissed on this date, he had already been suspended from his post on 21 March after "serious allegations" were made against him.
  • Note 3: Burley was initially appointed on 31 March as interim manager following John Gregory's suspension.

League table

|win_B&HA=11|draw_B&HA=12|loss_B&HA=23|gf_B&HA=49|ga_B&HA=67|status_B&HA=R

Play-offs

Main article: 2003 Football League play-offs

| RD1-seed1= 3 | RD1-team1=Sheffield United | RD1-score1-1=1 | RD1-score1-2=4 | RD1-score1-agg=5 | RD1-seed2=6 | RD1-team2=Nottingham Forest | RD1-score2-1=1 | RD1-score2-2=3 | RD1-score2-agg=4 | RD1-seed3= 4 | RD1-team3=Reading | RD1-score3-1=1 | RD1-score3-2=0 | RD1-score3-agg=1 | RD1-seed4= 5 | RD1-team4=Wolverhampton Wanderers | RD1-score4-1=2 | RD1-score4-2=1 | RD1-score4-agg=3 | RD2-seed1=3 | RD2-team1=Sheffield United | RD2-score1=0 | RD2-seed2=5 | RD2-team2=Wolverhampton Wanderers | RD2-score2=3

Awards

MonthManager of the MonthNotesManagerClubAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarchApril
ENG Harry RedknappPortsmouth
ENG Micky AdamsLeicester City
ENG Ray LewingtonWatford
ENG Alan PardewReading
SCO Gary McAllisterCoventry City
ENG Neil WarnockSheffield United
ENG Alan PardewReading
ENG Joe RoyleIpswich Town
SCO Mark McGheeMillwall

;PFA Team of the Year{{Cite book | editor-first = Barry J. | editor-last = Hugman

Pos.PlayerClub
GKTRI Shaka HislopPortsmouth
DFIRE Denis IrwinWolverhampton Wanderers
DFENG Joleon LescottWolverhampton Wanderers
DFENG Michael DawsonNottingham Forest
DFENG Matthew TaylorPortsmouth
MFTUR Muzzy IzzetLeicester City
MFENG Michael BrownSheffield United
MFENG Paul MersonPortsmouth
MFENG Michael TongeSheffield United
FWJAM David JohnsonNottingham Forest
FWSCO Paul DickovLeicester City

Attendances

#ClubAverage
1Leicester City29,231
2Wolverhampton Wanderers25,745
3Derby County25,470
4Ipswich Town25,455
5Nottingham Forest24,437
6Norwich City20,353
7Sheffield Wednesday20,327
8Portsmouth18,934
9Sheffield United18,069
10Crystal Palace16,867
11Reading16,011
12Coventry City14,813
13Stoke City14,588
14Burnley13,977
15Preston North End13,853
16Watford13,405
17Bradford City12,501
18Millwall8,512
19Gillingham8,078
20Rotherham United7,522
21Walsall6,978
22Brighton & Hove Albion6,651
23Grimsby Town5,884
24MK Dons2,786

Source:

References

References

  1. "English League Championship Stats – 2011–12". Statto.com.
  2. (July 2024). "English League Championship Stats: Team Attendance". ESPN }}{{dead link.
  3. (27 April 2003). "Portsmouth 3-2 Rotherham". BBC Sport.
  4. (15 April 2003). "Portsmouth promoted". BBC Sport.
  5. (22 October 2002). "Leicester City put into administration". BBC News.
  6. (25 September 2003). "League to punish stricken clubs". BBC News.
  7. (26 May 2003). "Wolves back in big time". BBC Sport.
  8. (29 April 2002). "Taylor quits Brighton". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  9. (15 July 2002). "Hinshelwood given Brighton job". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  10. (7 October 2002). "Seagulls go for Coppell". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  11. (10 October 2002). "Cotterill quits Stoke". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  12. (1 November 2002). "Pulis gets Stoke job". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  13. (11 October 2002). "Ipswich sack Burley". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  14. (28 October 2002). "Royle eyes promotion". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  15. (31 October 2002). "Yorath quits Wednesday". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  16. (7 November 2002). "Turner handed Owls post". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  17. (18 April 2003). "Francis leaves Palace". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  18. (23 May 2003). "Palace appoint Kember". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  19. (21 March 2003). "Gregory suspended by Derby". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  20. (9 May 2003). "Derby sack Gregory". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  21. (31 March 2003). "Burley takes over at Derby". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  22. (5 June 2003). "Burley relishes Derby challenge". British Broadcasting Corporation.
  23. "Manager of the Month: August 2002". League Managers Association.
  24. "Manager of the Month: September 2002". League Managers Association.
  25. "Manager of the Month: October 2002". League Managers Association.
  26. "Manager of the Month: November 2002". League Managers Association.
  27. "Manager of the Month: December 2002". League Managers Association.
  28. "Manager of the Month: January 2003". League Managers Association.
  29. "Manager of the Month: February 2003". League Managers Association.
  30. "Manager of the Month: March 2003". League Managers Association.
  31. "Manager of the Month: April 2003". League Managers Association.
  32. https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/eng/aveeng2003.htm
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