2002–03 Football League First Division

September 2020 Football League First Division Portsmouth(3rd divisional title) PortsmouthLeicester CityWolverhampton Wanderers Sheffield WednesdayBrighton & Hove AlbionGrimsby Town 557 1512 Svetoslav Todorov(26 goals) Nottm Forest 6–0 Stoke,Wolves 6–0 Gillingham Millwall 0–6 Rotherham Grimsby 6–5 Burnley,Burnley 4–7 Watford 7 gamesEnglish League Championship Stats – 2011–12 http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/division-one/2002-2003/longest-sequences/full Statto.com 2 December 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20110812074717/http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/division-one/2002-2003/longest-sequences/full 12 August 2011 livePortsmouth 15 gamesLeicester City 16 gamesStoke City 12 gamesBrighton & Hove Albion 15,599English League Championship Stats: Team Attendance http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attendance/_/league/eng.2/year/2002/english-league-championship?cc=5739 ESPN July 2024 medicmedic 2001–02 2003–04 2002–03 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.https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2959237.stm Portsmouth 3-2 Rotherham 27 April 2003 BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2935375.stm Portsmouth promoted 15 April 2003 BBC Sport 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.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2349397.stm Leicester City put into administration 22 October 2002 BBC News Following this incident, the Football League would introduce rules that penalised any club entering administration with a ten-point points deduction;https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3136404.stm League to punish stricken clubs 25 September 2003 BBC News 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.https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/3050993.stm Wolves back in big time 26 May 2003 BBC Sport 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 England right 400 Locations of the 2002–03 First Division clubs England 53.82 -1.73 right England 50.83 -0.15 right England 53.79 -2.25 right England 52.41 -1.51 right England 51.398 -0.085 right England 52.92 -1.476 right England 51.38 0.55 right England 53.56 -0.068 right England 52.06 1.14 right England 52.62 -1.14 right England 51.48 -0.048 right England 52.63 1.30 right England 53.01 -1.137 right England 50.80 -1.06 right England 53.75 -2.7 right England 51.41 -0.97 right England 53.43 -1.36 right England 53.37 -1.47 right England 53.41 -1.50 right England 53.00 -2.18 right England 52.58 -1.98 right England 51.65 -0.40 right England 51.398 -0.085 left England 52.59 -2.13 right 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 Team Location Stadium CapacityBradford City Bradford Bradford & Bingley Stadium 25,136Burnley Burnley Turf Moor 22,546Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton Withdean Stadium 8,850Coventry City Coventry Highfield Road 23,489Crystal Palace London Selhurst Park 26,309Derby County Derby Pride Park 33,597Gillingham Gillingham Priestfield Stadium 11,582Grimsby Town Cleethorpes Blundell Park 10,033Ipswich Town Ipswich Portman Road 30,311Leicester City Leicester Walkers Stadium 32,500Millwall London The New Den 20,146Nottingham Forest Nottingham City Ground 30,576Norwich City Norwich Carrow Road 26,018Portsmouth Portsmouth Fratton Park 20,224Preston North End Preston Deepdale 23,408Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161Rotherham United Rotherham Millmoor 8,300Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,702Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Hillsborough 39,812Stoke City Stoke Britannia Stadium 27,740Walsall Walsall Bescot Stadium 11,300Watford Watford Vicarage Road 17,504Wimbledon London Selhurst Park1 26,309Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Molineux 27,828 Note 1: Wimbledon rented the use of Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park home. Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Kit maker Sponsor Bradford City ENG Nicky Law BCAFC JCT600 Burnley ENG Stan Ternent TFG Sports Lanway Brighton & Hove Albion ENG Martin Hinshelwood Erreà Skint Records Coventry City SCO Gary McAllister CCFC Subaru Crystal Palace ENG Trevor Francis Le Coq Sportif Churchill Insurance Derby County ENG John Gregory Erreà Pedigree Gillingham ENG Andy Hessenthaler Gills Leisure SeaFrance Grimsby Town ENG Paul Groves Avec Dixon Ipswich Town SCO George Burley Punch TXU Energi Leicester City ENG Micky Adams Le Coq Sportif LG Millwall SCO Mark McGhee Strikeforce 24seven Nottingham Forest ENG Paul Hart Umbro Pinnacle Insurance Norwich City NIR Nigel Worthington Xara Digital Phone Company Portsmouth ENG Harry Redknapp Pompey Sport Ty Preston North End SCO Craig Brown Voi NewReg.com Reading ENG Alan Pardew Kit@ Westcoast Rotherham United ENG Ronnie Moore Bodyline T-Mobile Sheffield United ENG Neil Warnock Le Coq Sportif Desun Sheffield Wednesday WAL Terry Yorath Diadora Chupa Chups Stoke City ENG Steve Cotterill Le Coq Sportif Britannia Walsall ENG Colin Lee Xara Banks's Watford ENG Ray Lewington Kit@ Toshiba Wimbledon ENG Stuart Murdoch Patrick Go MK Wolverhampton Wanderers ENG Dave Jones Admiral Doritos Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment Brighton & Hove Albion England Peter Taylor Resigned 29 April 2002Taylor quits Brighton https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/1957526.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 29 April 2002 Off season England Martin Hinshelwood 15 July 2002Hinshelwood given Brighton job https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/2130073.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 15 July 2002 Brighton & Hove Albion England Martin Hinshelwood Moved to director of football position 7 October 2002Seagulls go for Coppell https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2307873.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 7 October 2002 24th England Steve Coppell 7 October 2002 Stoke City England Steve Cotterill Resigned to become assistant manager at Sunderland 10 October 2002Cotterill quits Stoke https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/2315421.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 10 October 2002 15th Wales Tony Pulis 1 November 2002Pulis gets Stoke job https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/2385193.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 1 November 2002 Ipswich Town Scotland George Burley Sacked 11 October 2002Ipswich sack Burley https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/2319359.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 11 October 200219th England Joe Royle 28 October 2002Royle eyes promotion https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/2363793.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 28 October 2002 Sheffield Wednesday Wales Terry Yorath Resigned 31 October 2002Yorath quits Wednesday https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/2380371.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 31 October 200222nd England Chris Turner 7 November 2002Turner handed Owls post https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/2409785.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 7 November 2002 Crystal Palace England Trevor Francis Mutual consent 18 April 2003Francis leaves Palace https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/2958993.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 18 April 2003 11th England Steve Kember 23 May 2003Palace appoint Kember https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/2933846.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 23 May 2003 Derby County England John Gregory Sacked 9 May 20032Gregory suspended by Derby https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/2873721.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 21 March 2003Derby sack Gregory https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/3009733.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 9 May 2003 18th (end of season) Scotland George Burley 5 June 20033Burley takes over at Derby https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/2902481.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 31 March 2003Burley relishes Derby challenge https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/3051511.stm BBC Sport British Broadcasting Corporation 5 June 2003 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 main WDL 5 PR POR Portsmouth LEI Leicester City SHU Sheffield United REA Reading WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers NOT Nottingham Forest IPS Ipswich Town NWC Norwich City MIL Millwall WIM Wimbledon GIL Gillingham PNE Preston North End WAT Watford CRY Crystal Palace ROT Rotherham United BUR Burnley WAL Walsall DER Derby County BRA Bradford City COV Coventry City STK Stoke City SHW Sheffield Wednesday BHA Brighton & Hove Albion GRI Grimsby Town 29 11 6 97 45 C,P 26 14 6 73 40 P 23 11 12 72 52 25 4 17 61 46 20 16 10 81 44 O,P 20 14 12 82 50 19 13 14 80 64 19 12 15 60 49 19 9 18 59 69 18 11 17 76 73 16 14 16 56 65 16 13 17 68 70 17 9 20 54 70 14 17 15 59 52 15 14 17 62 62 15 10 21 65 89 15 9 22 57 69 15 7 24 55 74 14 10 22 51 73 12 14 20 46 62 12 14 20 45 69 10 16 20 56 73 R 11 12 23 49 67 R 9 12 25 48 85 R #BBF3BB Promotion to 2003–04 FA Premier League P P #FFFFBB Qualification for First Division Playoffs PP PP PP PP #FFBBBB Relegation to 2003–04 Second Division R R R 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. 11 May 2003 Soccerway Play-offs 2003 Football League play-offs 2/1 y y Semi-finals Final 3 Sheffield United 1 4 5 6 Nottingham Forest 1 3 4 4 Reading 1 0 1 5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 1 3 3 Sheffield United 0 5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 Awards MonthManager of the MonthNotesManagerClubAugustENG Harry RedknappPortsmouth Manager of the Month: August 2002 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/awards/mom.html?month=8&year=2002&x=14&y=4 https://archive.today/20130127153634/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/awards/mom.html?month=8&year=2002&x=14&y=4 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association SeptemberENG Micky AdamsLeicester City Manager of the Month: September 2002 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=9&year=2002&x=10&y=6 https://archive.today/20130127193647/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=9&year=2002&x=10&y=6 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association OctoberENG Ray LewingtonWatford Manager of the Month: October 2002 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=10&year=2002&x=17&y=6 https://archive.today/20130127140952/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=10&year=2002&x=17&y=6 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association NovemberENG Alan PardewReading Manager of the Month: November 2002 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=11&year=2002&x=19&y=5 https://archive.today/20130128015131/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=11&year=2002&x=19&y=5 dead 28 January 2013 League Managers Association DecemberSCO Gary McAllisterCoventry City Manager of the Month: December 2002 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=12&year=2002&x=17&y=3 https://archive.today/20130127143117/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=12&year=2002&x=17&y=3 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association JanuaryENG Neil WarnockSheffield United Manager of the Month: January 2003 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=1&year=2003&x=14&y=6 https://archive.today/20130128094739/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=1&year=2003&x=14&y=6 dead 28 January 2013 League Managers Association FebruaryENG Alan PardewReading Manager of the Month: February 2003 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=2&year=2003&x=17&y=9 https://archive.today/20130127200734/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=2&year=2003&x=17&y=9 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association MarchENG Joe RoyleIpswich Town Manager of the Month: March 2003 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=3&year=2003&x=9&y=12 https://archive.today/20130127172313/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=3&year=2003&x=9&y=12 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association AprilSCO Mark McGheeMillwall Manager of the Month: April 2003 http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=4&year=2003&x=9&y=3 https://archive.today/20130127140422/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/mom.html?month=4&year=2003&x=9&y=3 dead 27 January 2013 League Managers Association PFA Team of the Year Barry J. Hugman The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004 2003 Queen Anne Press 1-85291-651-6 496 Pos.PlayerClub GK TRI Shaka Hislop Portsmouth DF IRE Denis Irwin Wolverhampton Wanderers DF ENG Joleon Lescott Wolverhampton Wanderers DF ENG Michael Dawson Nottingham Forest DF ENG Matthew Taylor Portsmouth MF TUR Muzzy Izzet Leicester City MF ENG Michael Brown Sheffield United MF ENG Paul Merson Portsmouth MF ENG Michael Tonge Sheffield United FW JAM David Johnson Nottingham Forest FW SCO Paul Dickov Leicester City Attendances # Club Average 1 Leicester City 29,231 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 25,745 3 Derby County 25,470 4 Ipswich Town 25,455 5 Nottingham Forest 24,437 6 Norwich City 20,353 7 Sheffield Wednesday 20,327 8 Portsmouth 18,934 9 Sheffield United 18,069 10 Crystal Palace 16,867 11 Reading 16,011 12 Coventry City 14,813 13 Stoke City 14,588 14 Burnley 13,977 15 Preston North End 13,853 16 Watford 13,405 17 Bradford City 12,501 18 Millwall 8,512 19 Gillingham 8,078 20 Rotherham United 7,522 21 Walsall 6,978 22 Brighton & Hove Albion 6,651 23 Grimsby Town 5,884 24 MK Dons 2,786 Source:Historical attendances https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/eng/aveeng2003.htm 2026-08-01 www.european-football-statistics.co.uk References 30em 2002-03 England 2