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2002–03 Walsall F.C. season

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Walsall
2002–03 season
ChairmanJeff Bonser
ManagerColin Lee
StadiumBescot Stadium
First Division17th
FA CupFifth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: José Júnior (15)
All: José Júnior (16)
Highest home attendance11,037 (vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 11 January)
Lowest home attendance3,847 (vs. Shrewsbury Town, 10 September)
Average home league attendance6,978

During the 2002–03 English football season, Walsall competed in the Football League First Division. It was the club's second consecutive season at that level.

Season summary

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Walsall managed to avoid relegation to extend their stay in English football's second tier to a third season. Much of their success was down to the signing of key players, such as ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Vinny Samways, returning to English football after a six-year spell in Spain.

Kit

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Xara became Walsall's new kit manufacturers. Banks's remained the kit sponsors.

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
15 Rotherham United 46 15 14 17 62 62 0 59
16 Burnley 46 15 10 21 65 89 −24 55
17 Walsall 46 15 9 22 57 69 −12 54
18 Derby County 46 15 7 24 55 74 −19 52
19 Bradford City 46 14 10 22 51 73 −22 52
Updated to match(es) played on 11 May 2003. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results

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Walsall's score comes first[1]

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
10 August 2002 Ipswich Town H 0–2 5,253
14 August 2002 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–3 27,904 Herivelto
17 August 2002 Sheffield United A 1–1 14,011 Corica
24 August 2002 Nottingham Forest H 2–1 5,096 Sonner (pen), Wrack
26 August 2002 Brighton & Hove Albion A 2–0 6,519 Corica, Leitão
31 August 2002 Reading H 0–2 5,327
7 September 2002 Watford A 0–2 10,528
14 September 2002 Bradford City H 0–1 4,678
17 September 2002 Rotherham United H 3–4 4,648 Zdrilic (2), Leitão
21 September 2002 Millwall A 3–0 7,525 Zdrilic, Wrack, Leitão
28 September 2002 Sheffield Wednesday H 1–0 6,792 Simpson
5 October 2002 Derby County A 2–2 25,247 Corica, Aranalde (pen)
12 October 2002 Burnley A 1–2 12,907 Birch
19 October 2002 Preston North End H 3–3 6,832 Leitão, Júnior, Aranalde (pen)
26 October 2002 Coventry City A 0–0 14,544
29 October 2002 Crystal Palace H 3–4 6,368 Corica, Júnior (2)
2 November 2002 Stoke City H 4–2 6,391 Leitão (2), Júnior, Aranalde (pen)
9 November 2002 Leicester City A 0–2 25,243
16 November 2002 Wimbledon A 2–3 1,255 Júnior, Sonner (pen)
23 November 2002 Gillingham H 1–0 6,630 Júnior
30 November 2002 Portsmouth A 2–3 17,701 Sonner (2 pens)
7 December 2002 Grimsby Town H 3–1 5,888 Júnior, Leitão, Wrack
14 December 2002 Wimbledon H 2–0 6,596 Wrack, Júnior
21 December 2002 Norwich City A 1–2 19,872 Easton (own goal)
26 December 2002 Sheffield United H 0–1 10,459
28 December 2002 Ipswich Town A 2–3 26,550 Wrack (2)
1 January 2003 Nottingham Forest A 1–1 28,441 Ainsworth
11 January 2003 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–1 11,037
18 January 2003 Reading A 0–0 11,786
1 February 2003 Brighton & Hove Albion H 1–0 8,413 Leitão
8 February 2003 Leicester City H 1–4 8,741 O'Connor
22 February 2003 Watford H 2–0 7,705 Júnior, Leitão
26 February 2003 Stoke City A 0–1 10,409
1 March 2003 Bradford City A 2–1 10,893 Robinson, Matías
4 March 2003 Rotherham United A 0–0 5,792
8 March 2003 Millwall H 1–2 6,647 Júnior
15 March 2003 Burnley H 3–2 6,327 Leitão, Carbon, Matías
18 March 2003 Preston North End A 0–5 11,170
22 March 2003 Crystal Palace A 0–2 19,102
5 April 2003 Portsmouth H 1–2 7,899 Júnior
12 April 2003 Gillingham A 1–0 6,972 Leitão
15 April 2003 Coventry City H 0–0 7,337
19 April 2003 Norwich City H 0–0 7,018
21 April 2003 Grimsby Town A 1–0 4,618 Júnior
26 April 2003 Derby County H 3–2 8,416 Júnior (3)
4 May 2003 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–2 20,864 Matías

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 4 January 2003 Reading H 0–0 5,987
R3R 14 January 2003 Reading A 1–1 (won 4–1 on pens) 8,767 Wrack
R4 25 January 2003 Wimbledon H 1–0 6,693 Zdrilic
R5 15 February 2003 Sheffield United A 0–2 17,510

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 10 September 2002 Shrewsbury Town H 1–0 3,847 Leitão
R2 2 October 2002 Nottingham Forest A 2–1 6,343 Leitão, Júnior
R3 6 November 2002 Blackburn Rovers A 2–2 (lost 4–5 on pens) 9,486 Aranalde (pen), Zdrilic

First-team squad

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Squad at end of season[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Jimmy Walker
2 MF England ENG Darren Bazeley
3 DF Spain ESP Zigor Aranalde
4 DF England ENG Matt Carbon
5 DF New Zealand NZL Danny Hay
6 DF England ENG Ian Roper
7 MF England ENG Darren Wrack
8 MF England ENG Martin O'Connor[3]
9 FW Portugal POR Jorge Leitão
10 MF Australia AUS Steve Corica
11 MF Spain ESP Pedro Matías
12 MF Wales WAL Carl Robinson (on loan from Portsmouth)
14 FW Australia AUS David Zdrilic
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF England ENG Tony Barras
16 MF Northern Ireland NIR Danny Sonner[4]
17 FW England ENG Gary Birch
18 MF England ENG Gareth Ainsworth (on loan from Wimbledon)
19 MF England ENG Mark Wright
24 MF England ENG Vinny Samways
25 FW Brazil BRA José Júnior (on loan from Treze)
26 MF Jamaica JAM Fitzroy Simpson[5]
27 GK England ENG Gavin Ward
29 MF England ENG Chris Shuker (on loan from Manchester City)
29 MF Jamaica JAM Jamie Lawrence[6]
30 DF France FRA Ludovic Pollet (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers)
33 MF England ENG Neil Emblen (on loan from Norwich City)

Left club during season

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
12 FW Portugal POR Dani Rodrigues (to Ionikos)
13 MF Brazil BRA Moreira Herivelto (to Ionikos)
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF England ENG Matt Gadsby (to Mansfield Town)
24 MF Spain ESP Roberto Martínez (to Swansea City)

Reserve squad

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
20 FW England ENG Karl Hawley
21 MF England ENG Craig Stanley
22 FW England ENG Andy Bishop
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF England ENG Nick Smith
28 GK England ENG Matthew Harris
31 MF France FRA Jean-Philippe Javary (on loan from Sheffield United)

References

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  1. ^ "Walsall results for the 2002-2003 season - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  2. ^ "FootballSquads - Walsall - 2002/03".
  3. ^ O'Connor was born in Walsall, England, but represented the Cayman Islands internationally, although FIFA later ruled that he was ineligible.
  4. ^ Sonner was born in Wigan, England.
  5. ^ Simpson was born in Bradford-on-Avon, England.
  6. ^ Lawrence was born in Balham, England.