1902–03 Football League

The Football League

Season	1902–03
Champions	The Wednesday
Relegated	Doncaster Rovers
← 1901–02 1903–04 →

The 1902–03 season was the 15th season of The Football League.

Final league tables

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.

Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.

During the first five seasons of the league, that is until the season, 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.

First Division

Football League
First Division

Season	1902–03
Champions	The Wednesday (1st English title)
Relegated	Bolton Wanderers Grimsby Town
FA Cup winners	Bury (2nd FA Cup title)
Matches played	306
Goals scored	885 (2.89 per match)
Top goalscorer	Sam Raybould (Liverpool), 31
Biggest home win	Liverpool – Grimsby Town 9–2 (6 Dec 1902) Aston Villa – Newcastle 7–0 (29 Nov 1902)
Biggest away win	Nottingham Forest – The Wednesday 1–4 (1 Nov 1902)
Highest scoring	Liverpool – Grimsby Town 9–2 (6 Dec 1902)
Longest winning run	6 matches West Bromwich Albion (18 Oct 1902 – 22 Nov 1902)
Longest unbeaten run	13 matches Sunderland (29 Nov 1902 – 14 Mar 1903)
Longest losing run	10 matches Bolton Wanderers (18 Oct 1902 – 22 Nov 1902)
Highest attendance	50,000 Aston Villa - West Bromwich Albion (1 Nov 1902)
Lowest attendance	500 Derby County - Grimsby Town (22 Apr 1903)
Average attendance	11,656
← 1901–02 1903–04 →

Pos	Team	Pld	HW	HD	HL	HGF	HGA	AW	AD	AL	AGF	AGA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	The Wednesday	34	12	3	2	31	7	7	1	9	23	29	1.500	42	League Champions
2	Aston Villa	34	11	3	3	43	18	8	0	9	18	22	1.525	41
3	Sunderland	34	10	5	2	27	11	6	4	7	24	25	1.417	41
4	Sheffield United	34	11	0	6	36	22	6	5	6	22	22	1.318	39
5	Liverpool	34	11	3	3	48	21	6	1	10	20	28	1.388	38
6	Stoke	34	11	2	4	29	11	4	5	8	17	27	1.211	37
7	West Bromwich Albion	34	10	2	5	37	27	6	2	9	17	26	1.019	36
8	Bury	34	14	1	2	41	14	2	2	13	13	29	1.256	35	FA Cup Winners
9	Derby County	34	13	2	2	34	11	3	1	13	16	36	1.064	35
10	Nottingham Forest	34	10	3	4	33	22	4	4	9	16	25	1.043	35
11	Wolverhampton Wanderers	34	12	2	3	34	17	2	3	12	14	40	0.842	33
12	Everton	34	10	2	5	28	18	3	4	10	17	29	0.957	32
13	Middlesbrough	34	10	3	4	27	16	4	1	12	14	34	0.820	32
14	Newcastle United	34	12	1	4	31	11	2	3	12	10	40	0.804	32
15	Notts County	34	8	5	4	25	16	4	2	11	16	33	0.837	31
16	Blackburn Rovers	34	9	2	6	27	24	3	3	11	17	39	0.698	29
17	Grimsby Town	34	6	5	6	28	22	2	4	11	15	40	0.694	25	Relegated
18	Bolton Wanderers	34	6	2	9	18	20	2	1	14	19	53	0.507	19

Source:

Results

Home \ Away	AST	BLB	BOL	BRY	DER	EVE	GRI	LIV	MID	NEW	NOT	NTC	SHU	STK	SUN	WED	WBA	WOL
Aston Villa		5–0	4–2	2–2	0–0	2–1	2–2	1–2	5–0	7–0	3–1	2–1	4–2	2–0	0–1	1–0	0–3	3–1
Blackburn Rovers	0–2		4–2	0–3	2–4	3–2	2–0	3–1	0–1	3–1	2–2	1–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–1	1–0	1–0
Bolton Wanderers	0–1	1–2		1–0	2–0	1–3	0–1	1–1	2–1	0–2	1–1	0–1	1–0	2–3	2–0	0–2	0–1	4–1
Bury	0–1	1–1	3–0		1–0	4–2	2–1	3–1	3–1	1–0	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–1	4–0	1–2	4–0
Derby County	2–0	1–0	5–0	2–0		0–1	2–2	2–1	3–2	0–0	0–1	4–1	1–0	2–0	5–2	1–0	1–0	3–1
Everton	0–1	0–3	3–1	3–0	2–1		4–2	3–1	3–0	0–1	1–1	2–0	1–0	0–1	0–3	1–1	3–1	2–1
Grimsby Town	0–2	4–1	1–1	2–1	4–1	0–0		3–1	2–2	1–0	0–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	2–4	0–1	4–0	1–2
Liverpool	2–1	5–2	5–1	2–0	3–1	0–0	9–2		5–0	3–0	2–1	0–2	2–4	1–1	1–1	4–2	0–2	4–1
Middlesbrough	1–2	4–0	4–3	1–1	3–1	1–0	2–0	0–2		1–0	2–0	2–1	0–2	1–1	0–1	2–1	1–1	2–0
Newcastle United	2–0	1–0	2–0	1–0	2–1	3–0	1–0	1–2	0–1		0–2	6–1	0–0	5–0	1–0	3–0	1–0	2–4
Nottingham Forest	2–0	2–0	1–2	3–0	2–3	2–2	2–1	1–0	1–0	3–2		0–0	2–2	1–3	5–2	1–4	3–1	2–0
Notts County	2–1	4–0	1–3	1–0	2–1	2–0	0–1	1–2	2–0	2–2	1–1		1–1	3–0	0–0	0–3	3–1	0–0
Sheffield United	2–4	2–1	7–1	1–0	3–2	0–2	3–0	2–0	1–3	2–1	2–0	3–0		1–3	1–0	2–3	1–2	3–0
Stoke	1–0	0–2	2–0	1–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–0	0–2	5–0	3–2	0–2	0–1		1–1	4–0	3–0	3–0
Sunderland	1–0	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–1	5–1	2–1	2–1	0–0	0–1	2–1	0–0	0–0		0–1	0–0	3–0
The Wednesday	4–0	0–0	3–0	2–0	0–1	4–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	3–0	1–0	2–0	0–1	1–0	1–0		3–1	1–1
West Bromwich Albion	1–2	5–3	2–1	1–3	3–0	2–1	1–0	1–2	1–0	6–1	2–0	3–2	3–3	2–1	0–3	2–3		2–2
Wolverhampton Wanderers	2–1	2–0	3–1	3–2	3–0	1–1	3–0	0–2	2–0	3–0	2–1	2–0	1–3	1–0	3–3	2–1	1–2

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Bury

Derby County

Everton

Grimsby Town

Liverpool

Middlesbrough

Newcastle

Nottingham Forest

Notts County

Sheffield United

Stoke

Sunderland

The Wednesday (Sheffield)

West Bromwich Albion

Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division

Football League
Second Division

Season	1902–03
Champions	Manchester City (2nd title)
Failed re-election	Doncaster Rovers
Matches played	306
Goals scored	940 (3.07 per match)
Top goalscorer	Billie Gillespie, (Manchester City), 30
Biggest home win	Small Heath – Doncaster Rovers 12–0 (11 Apr 1903)
Biggest away win	Burton United – Manchester City 0–5 (7 Mar 1903)
Highest scoring	Small Heath – Doncaster Rovers 12–0 (11 Apr 1903)
Longest winning run	6 matches Manchester City (24 Jan 1903 – 7 Mar 1903)
Longest unbeaten run	10 matches Manchester City (17 Jan 1903 – 4 Apr 1903) Woolwich Arsenal (27 Dec 1902 – 7 Mar 1903)
Longest losing run	5 matches Barnsley (11 Oct 1902 – 24 Nov 1902) Stockport County (6 Dec 1902 – 1 Jan 1903) Leicester Fosse (7 Feb 1903 – 7 Mar 1903)
← 1901–02 1903–04 →

Pos	Team	Pld	HW	HD	HL	HGF	HGA	AW	AD	AL	AGF	AGA	GAv	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Manchester City	34	15	1	1	64	15	10	3	4	31	14	3.276	54	Division Champions, promoted
2	Small Heath	34	17	0	0	57	11	7	3	7	17	25	2.056	51	Promoted
3	Woolwich Arsenal	34	14	2	1	46	9	6	6	5	20	21	2.200	48
4	Bristol City	34	12	3	2	43	18	5	5	7	16	20	1.553	42
5	Manchester United	34	9	4	4	32	15	6	4	7	21	23	1.395	38
6	Chesterfield	34	11	4	2	43	10	3	5	9	24	30	1.675	37
7	Preston North End	34	10	5	2	39	12	3	5	9	17	28	1.400	36
8	Barnsley	34	9	4	4	32	13	4	4	9	23	38	1.078	34
9	Burslem Port Vale	34	11	5	1	36	16	2	3	12	21	46	0.919	34
10	Lincoln City	34	8	3	6	30	22	4	3	10	16	31	0.868	30
11	Glossop	34	9	1	7	26	19	2	6	9	17	38	0.754	29
12	Gainsborough Trinity	34	9	4	4	28	14	2	3	12	13	45	0.695	29
13	Burton United	34	9	4	4	26	20	2	3	12	13	39	0.661	29
14	Blackpool	34	7	5	5	32	24	2	5	10	12	35	0.746	28
15	Leicester Fosse	34	5	5	7	20	23	5	3	9	21	42	0.631	28
16	Doncaster Rovers	34	8	5	4	27	17	1	2	14	8	55	0.486	25	Failed re-election
17	Stockport County	34	6	4	7	26	24	1	2	14	12	50	0.514	20	Re-elected
18	Burnley	34	6	7	4	25	25	0	1	16	5	52	0.390	20

Source:

Results

Home \ Away	BAR	BLP	BRI	BRN	BPV	BRT	CHF	DON	GAI	GLP	LEI	LIN	MCI	MUN	PNE	SMH	STP	WOO
Barnsley		6–0	2–0	3–0	1–0	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–3	0–1	1–2	0–0	0–3	0–0	3–0	3–0	2–1	1–1
Blackpool	3–3		0–1	2–0	2–5	3–3	2–1	4–0	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–3	0–3	2–0	2–2	0–1	2–0	0–0
Bristol City	3–3	0–1		3–0	3–0	3–1	2–1	4–2	1–0	1–1	6–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	2–1	1–1	7–1	1–0
Burnley	1–2	1–1	0–0		3–3	4–1	1–1	1–1	3–2	2–1	1–3	1–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–1	3–2	0–3
Burslem Port Vale	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–1		4–2	2–1	3–0	3–1	1–0	2–0	5–1	1–4	1–1	0–0	2–2	3–1	1–1
Burton United	1–1	2–0	0–3	0–0	0–0		1–0	1–0	3–0	2–1	2–3	2–2	0–5	3–1	2–1	0–1	5–1	2–1
Chesterfield	3–0	1–1	3–0	2–0	3–0	1–0		1–1	0–1	10–0	5–0	1–0	0–1	2–0	4–2	1–1	4–1	2–2
Doncaster Rovers	2–0	3–0	0–0	2–1	3–2	1–1	3–4		0–0	4–1	0–0	2–1	1–2	2–2	1–2	1–0	2–0	0–1
Gainsborough Trinity	1–2	0–0	2–1	3–0	1–1	3–1	3–2	3–0		1–1	5–1	4–0	0–3	0–1	1–0	1–0	0–0	0–1
Glossop	2–2	1–0	0–2	2–0	2–1	3–0	0–3	3–0	4–2		1–2	2–0	0–1	1–3	1–0	0–1	3–1	1–2
Leicester Fosse	1–2	2–1	2–2	2–1	2–0	0–1	0–2	0–1	4–1	3–2		0–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2
Lincoln City	1–3	0–2	1–1	4–1	4–1	4–0	0–0	4–2	1–0	1–0	1–2		1–0	1–3	2–3	0–1	3–1	2–2
Manchester City	3–2	2–0	2–2	6–0	7–1	2–0	4–2	4–1	9–0	5–2	3–1	3–1		0–2	1–0	4–0	5–0	4–1
Manchester United	2–1	2–2	1–2	4–0	2–1	1–0	2–1	4–0	3–1	1–1	5–1	1–2	1–1		0–1	0–1	0–0	3–0
Preston North End	3–0	3–1	1–0	5–0	5–1	1–1	1–1	5–0	0–0	0–0	2–0	0–1	0–2	3–1		2–1	6–1	2–2
Small Heath	2–1	5–1	2–0	3–0	5–1	2–0	2–1	12–0	1–0	3–1	4–3	3–1	4–0	2–1	3–1		2–0	2–0
Stockport County	4–1	4–0	0–1	3–0	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–0	1–1	2–3	2–2	3–1	0–2	2–1	1–1	1–2		0–1
Woolwich Arsenal	4–0	2–1	2–1	5–1	3–0	3–0	3–0	3–0	6–1	0–0	0–0	2–1	1–0	0–1	3–1	6–1	3–1

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Wikidata

Maps

Barnsley

Blackpool

Bristol City

Burnley

Burslem Port Vale

Burton United

Chesterfield

Doncaster Rovers

Gainsborough Trinity

Glossop

Leicester Fosse

Lincoln City

Manchester City

Manchester United

Preston North End

Small Heath (Birmingham)

Stockport County

Woolwich Arsenal

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Locations of the Football League Second Division teams

See also

• 1902–03 in English football
• 1902 in association football
• 1903 in association football

References

• Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.