2002–03 Watford F.C. season

English football team season March 2015 April 2023 Watford 2002–03 Ray Lewington Graham Simpson Vicarage Road First Division 13th FA Cup Semi-finals League Cup First round Helguson (11) Helguson (13) 13,405 2001–02 2003–04 The 2002–03 season marked Watford Football Club's third consecutive season in the Football League First Division, following relegation from the Premier League in the 1999–2000 season. The club was managed by its former reserve team manager Ray Lewington, following the dismissal of Gianluca Vialli at the end of 2001–02. The club finished 13th in the First Division, reached the semi-final of the FA Cup, and were eliminated in the first round of the League Cup. Watford were operating under severe financial constraints following the collapse of ITV Digital, and at the end of the season were forced to offload several first-team players, including Tommy Smith, Gifton Noel-Williams, Stephen Glass, and record signing Allan Nielsen. Season review Over the summer many of the Vialli's signings left the club. Lewington had few funds to strengthen the side. The extent of Watford's financial difficulties was exposed in the autumn, along with many League clubs, following the collapse of ITV Digital.Watford in financial peril 24 September 2002 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/2278920.stm BBC Sport The club was facing administration when the players and staff agreed a 12% wage deferral.25 September 2002 Watford players agree pay cut http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/2281913.stm BBC Sport Exacerbating the club's difficulties were the large payoffs they had had to make to Vialli and several players on terminating their contracts, and Vialli's decision to sue the club early in 2003.7 February 2003 Vialli sues Watford http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/2737337.stm BBC Sport The club started the season well, however, despite the players having to agree to a pay-cut during October, and finished in mid-table. An unexpected run to the FA Cup semi-final, where Watford lost to Premiership side Southampton,13 April 2003 Watford 1-2 Southampton http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/2003/04/13/watford_southampton.shtml dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050103114615/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/2003/04/13/watford_southampton.shtml 2005-01-03 2025-09-10 BBC - Beds, Herts and Bucks Sport also generated vital cash.13 March 2003 Hornets eye stadium repurchase http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/2847751.stm BBC Sport Final league table 2002–03 Football League First Division WAT Results Watford's score comes firsthttp://www.statto.com/football/teams/watford/2002-2003/results Watford results for the 2002-2003 season 22 December 2009 27 February 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120227075910/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/watford/2002-2003/results live Legend WinDrawLoss Football League First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 10 August 2002 Leicester CityA0–231,022 13 August 2002 MillwallH0–011,187 17 August 2002 WimbledonH3–210,292Webber, Robinson, Nielsen 24 August 2002 PortsmouthA0–317,901 26 August 2002 Coventry CityH5–211,136Glass, T Smith, Webber, Nielsen, Robinson 31 August 2002 Norwich CityA0–420,563 7 September 2002 WalsallH2–010,528T Smith, Foley 14 September 2002 Nottingham ForestA1–017,865Cox 17 September 2002 Preston North EndA1–112,408Robinson 21 September 2002 Crystal PalaceH3–312,153Ardley, Hyde, Helguson 28 September 2002 Sheffield UnitedA2–116,301Cox (pen), Helguson 5 October 2002 Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–015,305Helguson 12 October 2002 Grimsby TownH2–013,821Foley, T Smith 19 October 2002 GillinghamA0–38,728 26 October 2002 Sheffield WednesdayH1–015,058Helguson 30 October 2002 Stoke CityA2–111,215Helguson, Cox 2 November 2002 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–116,524Cox 9 November 2002 Rotherham UnitedA1–26,790Foley 17 November 2002 Ipswich TownH0–216,184 23 November 2002 ReadingA0–117,465 30 November 2002 BurnleyH2–113,977Helguson, T Smith (pen) 7 December 2002 Derby CountyA0–321,653 14 December 2002 Ipswich TownA2–422,985T Smith, Cox 21 December 2002 Bradford CityH1–012,579Cox (pen) 26 December 2002 WimbledonA0–02,643 28 December 2002 Leicester CityH1–216,017Helguson 1 January 2003 PortsmouthH2–215,048Hyde, Cox 11 January 2003 MillwallA0–49,030 19 January 2003 Norwich CityH2–113,338Nielsen, Helguson 1 February 2003 Coventry CityA1–017,393Hyde 8 February 2003 Rotherham UnitedH1–215,025T Smith 22 February 2003 WalsallA0–27,705 25 February 2003 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–024,591 1 March 2003 Nottingham ForestH1–117,934Helguson 4 March 2003 Preston North EndH0–111,101 15 March 2003 Grimsby TownA0–14,847 18 March 2003 GillinghamH0–110,492 22 March 2003 Stoke CityH1–212,570Helguson 29 March 2003 Sheffield WednesdayA2–217,086T Smith, Norville 5 April 2003 BurnleyA7–410,208Brown, Hyde, Cox, Chopra (4) 8 April 2003 Crystal PalaceA1–014,051Hunt (own goal) 19 April 2003 Bradford CityA1–211,145Helguson 21 April 2003 Derby CountyH2–011,909Chopra, Ardley 26 April 2003 Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–46,841 30 April 2003 ReadingH0–311,814 4 May 2003 Sheffield UnitedH2–014,320Cox, Fitzgerald FA Cup 2002–03 FA Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR34 January 2003 Macclesfield TownA2–04,244Helguson, PennantR425 January 2003 West Bromwich AlbionH1–016,975HelgusonR515 February 2003 SunderlandA1–026,916T SmithQF9 March 2003 BurnleyH2–020,336T Smith, GlassSF13 April 2003 SouthamptonN1–242,602Gayle League Cup 2002–03 Football League Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR110 September 2002 Luton TownH1–214,171Foley Players First-team squad Squad at end of seasonhttp://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2002-2003/d1/watford.htm FootballSquads – Watford – 2002/03 1 ENG GK Alec Chamberlain 2 ENG MF Neal Ardley 3 ENG DF Paul Robinson 4 ENG MF Paolo Vernazza 5 ENG DF Neil Cox 6 ENG DF Sean Dyche 7 DEN MF Allan Nielsen 8 JAM MF Micah HydeHyde was born in Newham, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 2001. 9 ENG FW Tommy Smith 10 ENG DF Wayne Brown 11 SCO MF Stephen Glass 12 ENG MF Gavin Mahon 14 AUS MF Richard Johnson 15 ENG FW Gifton Noel-Williams 16 ENG MF Anthony McNamee 18 ISL FW Heiðar Helguson 19 ENG DF Jerel Ifil 20 ENG DF Lloyd DoyleyDoyley was born in Tower Hamlets, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in March 2013. 21 IRL FW Dominic Foley 22 ENG MF Lee Cook 23 ENG MF Jamie Hand 24 TRI FW Jason Norville 25 ENG MF Gary Fisken 27 JAM DF Marcus GayleGayle was born in Hammersmith, London, and represented them at U-18 level, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally through his father and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1998. 28 ENG MF Sam Swonnell 29 ENG MF Jermaine Pennant on loan from Arsenal 30 ENG GK Richard Lee 31 ENG DF Jack Smith 32 CAN MF Elliott Godfrey 33 ENG FW Scott Fitzgerald Left club during season 10 ENG MF Stephen Hughes released 13 NOR GK Espen BaardsenBaardsen was born in San Rafael, California, United States, and represented them at U-18 level, but also qualified to represent Norway internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Norway in September 1998. to Everton 17 ENG FW Nick Wright retired 17 ENG FW Michael Chopra on loan from Newcastle United 29 ENG FW Danny Webber on loan from Manchester United Reserve squad 26 BAR MF Fabian FordeForde was born in Harrow, England, but also qualified to represent Barbados internationally and made his international debut for Barbados in November 2002. See also Luton Town F.C. and Watford F.C. rivalry List of Watford F.C. seasons References Notes notes 2002-03 Watford