2002–03 Colchester United F.C. season explained

Club:Colchester United
Season:2002–03
Chairman:Peter Heard[1]
Manager:Steve Whitton
(until 29 January)
Geraint Williams (caretaker)
(29 January until 25 February)
Phil Parkinson
(from 25 February)
Stadium:Layer Road
League:Second Division
League Result:12th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:1st round
(eliminated by
Chester City)
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:1st round
(eliminated by
Coventry City)
Cup3:Football League Trophy
Cup3 Result:1st round (southern section)
(eliminated by
Cheltenham Town)
League Topscorer:
Joe Keith (9)
Season Topscorer:
Joe Keith
Scott McGleish (9)
Highest Attendance:5,047
v Queens Park Rangers, 3 May 2003[2]
Lowest Attendance:2,721
v Wigan Athletic, 31 August 2002[3]
Average Attendance:3,367[4]
Largest Win:4–0
v Chesterfield, 18 March 2003
Largest Loss:0–5
v Luton Town, 21 April 2003
Pattern Name1:Home
Pattern La1:_whitelower
Pattern B1:_stripesandshouldersonwhite
Pattern Ra1:_whitelower
Pattern So1:_band_white
Leftarm1:0000FF
Body1:0000FF
Rightarm1:0000FF
Shorts1:0000FF
Socks1:0000FF
Prevseason:2001–02
Nextseason:2003–04

The 2002–03 season was Colchester United's 61st season in their history and their fifth successive season in the third tier of English football, the Second Division. Alongside competing in the Second Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.

After a first round FA Cup exit to Conference side Chester City and a seven-game winless run, manager Steve Whitton left the club by mutual consent, with Phil Parkinson appointed in his first ever managerial role. He led the club from the relegation zone to a 12th-place finish, their highest position for 23 years.

Season overview

Following consecutive seasons of gradual improvement under Steve Whitton, the club found themselves in the relegation zone following a run of seven games without a win and a first round FA Cup exit to non-League Chester City. He left the club by mutual consent in January as former player Geraint Williams stepped up as caretaker manager while putting his name forward for the permanent role. However, with his many contacts at FA board level, chairman Peter Heard made a surprise appointment of Reading's player-coach Phil Parkinson.

Parkinson helped turn around the club's fortunes, lifting them from the relegation zone to 12th place, their best finish for 23 years.

In the League Cup, Colchester were eliminated by Coventry City in the first round, while Cheltenham Town defeated the U's in the first round of the Football League Trophy.

Away from the pitch, following the collapse of ITV Digital which had promised clubs greater television rights finances, a number of clubs found themselves entering administration or suffering lasting financial difficulty as a result of spending the money on players and resources before any had been received. Prudently, Peter Heard had never budgeted more than the club could afford and as such Colchester United were largely unaffected by the collapse.[5]

Players

[6] [7] [8]

No.NamePositionNationalityPlace of birthDate of birthAppsGoalsSigned fromDate signedFee
Goalkeepers
1Simon BrownGKChelmsfordJune 1, 2002850 Tottenham Hotspur20 July 1999Free transfer
31Richard McKinneyGKBallymoneyJune 1, 200200 Swindon Town10 August 2002Free transfer
32Dean GerkenGKSouthend-on-SeaJune 1, 200200Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer
Defenders
2Joe DunneFBDublinJune 1, 20021887 Dover Athletic7 December 1999Nominal
3Joe KeithFBPlaistowJune 1, 200212610 West Ham United24 May 1999Free transfer
5Scott FitzgeraldCB WestminsterJune 1, 2002740 Millwall19 October 2000Free transfer
8Mark WarrenCBLower ClaptonJune 1, 200200 Notts County6 August 2002Free transfer
19Alan WhiteCBDarlingtonJune 1, 2002773 Luton Town16 July 2000Free transfer
24Pat BaldwinCBCity of LondonJune 1, 200200 Chelsea16 August 2002Free transfer
25Sam StockleyFBTivertonJune 1, 2002111 Oxford United31 October 2002Free transfer
27Greg HalfordFB/MFChelmsfordJune 1, 200200Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer
29Mike EdwardsCBHessleJune 1, 200200 Hull City27 March 2003Free transfer
Midfielders
4Gavin JohnsonMFEyeJune 1, 2002933 Dunfermline Athletic14 November 1999Free transfer
6Thomas PinaultMFGrasseJune 1, 2002581 AS Cannes1 July 1999Free transfer
7Karl DuguidMFLetchworthJune 1, 200223934Youth team9 December 1995Free transfer
10Kemal IzzetMFWhitechapelJune 1, 2002516 Charlton Athletic13 April 2001Free transfer
14Chris KeebleMFColchesterJune 1, 2002252 Ipswich Town23 March 2000Free transfer
16Marc CanhamMF WegbergJune 1, 200210Youth team1 August 2001Free transfer
17Bobby BowryMF HampsteadJune 1, 2002411 Millwall25 July 2001Free transfer
20Mick StockwellMFChelmsfordJune 1, 200210422 Ipswich Town23 July 2000Free transfer
Matt HearnMFBarkingJune 1, 200200Youth team1 July 2000Free transfer
Craig JohnstonMFJune 1, 200200Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer
Forwards
9Scott McGleishFWChipping BarnetJune 1, 20029027 Barnet12 January 2001£15,000
11Dean MorganFW EdmontonJune 1, 2002380Youth team1 August 2000Free transfer
12Kevin RapleyFWReadingJune 1, 2002409 Notts County1 August 2001Free transfer
15Adrian CooteFW Great YarmouthJune 1, 2002194 Norwich City21 December 2001£50,000
21Mvondo AtanganaFWYaoundéJune 1, 200200 Dundee United8 November 2002Undisclosed
27Ben CranfieldFWIpswichJune 1, 200200Youth team1 August 2001Free transfer
Tristan ToneyFWJune 1, 200200Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer

Transfers

In

DatePositionNationalityNameFromFeeRef.
1 July 2002MFCraig JohnstonYouth teamFree transfer[9]
1 July 2002FWTristan ToneyYouth teamFree transfer[10]
29 July 2002CBDanny Steele MillwallFree transfer[11]
1 August 2002GKDean GerkenYouth teamFree transfer[12]
1 August 2002FB/MFGreg HalfordYouth teamFree transfer[13]
6 August 2002CBMark Warren Notts CountyFree transfer[14]
10 August 2002GKRichard McKinney Swindon TownFree transfer[15]
16 August 2002CBPat Baldwin ChelseaFree transfer[16]
31 October 2002FBSam Stockley Oxford UnitedFree transfer[17]
8 November 2002FWMvondo Atangana Dundee UnitedUndisclosed[18]
27 March 2003CBMike Edwards Hull CityFree transfer[19]

Out

DatePositionNationalityNameToFeeRef.
31 May 2002CBCon Blatsis KocaelisporFree transfer[20]
30 June 2002DF/MFAnthony Allman WokingReleased[21]
1 August 2002MFDavid Gregory Canvey IslandReleased[22]
12 August 2002CBRoss Johnson Dagenham & RedbridgeReleased[23]
1 October 2002FBDavid Hadrava Heybridge SwiftsReleased[24]
14 October 2002FWTriston Chambers Dagenham & RedbridgeReleased[25]
25 October 2002GKGlenn WilliamsonFree agentReleased[26]
15 November 2002FWLloyd Opara Cambridge UnitedFree transfer[27] [28]
3 December 2002CBDanny Steele Fisher AthleticReleased

Loans in

DatePositionNationalityNameFromEnd dateRef.
15 August 2002MFLeke Odunsi Millwall1 November 2002[29]
31 August 2002FBSam Stockley Oxford United30 October 2002
22 October 2002FWJustin Richards Bristol Rovers10 December 2002[30]
23 January 2003FWGareth Williams Crystal Palace19 March 2003[31]
24 January 2003CBLiam Chilvers Arsenal31 May 2003[32]
10 March 2003MFJohnnie Jackson Tottenham Hotspur4 May 2003[33]
27 March 2003FWBen May Millwall4 May 2003[34]

Loans out

DatePositionNationalityNameToEnd dateRef.
5 September 2002FWTriston Chambers Harlow Town5 October 2002
15 October 2002FWLloyd Opara Cambridge United14 November 2002
21 October 2002FWAdrian Coote Bristol Rovers9 February 2003[35]

Match details

Second Division

See main article: 2002–03 Football League.

Matches

Football League Cup

See main article: 2002–03 Football League Cup.

Football League Trophy

See main article: 2002–03 Football League Trophy.

FA Cup

See main article: 2002–03 FA Cup.

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[6] [36] |-!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season|}

Goalscorers

[36]

PlaceNumberNationalityPositionNameSecond DivisionFA CupLeague CupFootball League TrophyTotal
13FBJoe Keith90009
9FWScott McGleish80019
310MFKemal Izzet80008
411FWDean Morgan60006
23FWGareth Williams60006
66MFThomas Pinault40004
77MFKarl Duguid30003
812FWKevin Rapley20002
20MFMick Stockwell20002
1017MFBobby Bowry10001
25FBSam Stockley10001
Own goals20002
TOTALS5200153

Disciplinary record

[37]

NumberNationalityPositionNameSecond DivisionFA CupLeague CupFootball League TrophyTotal
width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"width=60 style="background: #FF8888"width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"width=60 style="background: #FF8888"width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"width=60 style="background: #FF8888"width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"width=60 style="background: #FF8888"width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"width=60 style="background: #FF8888"
19CBAlan White132000000132
8CBMark Warren5200000052
7MFKarl Duguid4100000041
10MFKemal Izzet5000000050
12FWKevin Rapley1100001021
22CBDanny Steele1100000011
24CBPat Baldwin3000100040
31GKRichard McKinney1000000111
6MFThomas Pinault3000000030
17MFBobby Bowry3000000030
25FBSam Stockley3000000030
5CBScott Fitzgerald2000000020
9FWScott McGleish2000000020
18CBLiam Chilvers2000000020
3FBJoe Keith0000001010
4MFGavin Johnson1000000010
15FWAdrian Coote1000000010
18FWJustin Richards1000000010
20MFMick Stockwell1000000010
23MFLeke Odunsi1000000010
26MFJohnnie Jackson1000000010
28FWBen May1000000010
29CBMike Edwards1000000010
TOTALS567001021598

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[38]

PlaceNumberNationalityPlayerSecond DivisionFA CupLeague CupFootball League TrophyTotal
131Richard McKinney90009
21Simon Brown30003
TOTALS1200012

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[39]

NumberPositionNationalityPlayerDateOpponentGroundNotes
8CBMark Warren10 August 2002Stockport CountyLayer Road
31GKRichard McKinney10 August 2002Stockport CountyLayer Road
22CBDanny Steele24 August 2002BrentfordLayer Road
23MFLeke Odunsi26 August 2002Peterborough UnitedLondon Road Stadium
25FBSam Stockley7 September 2002Cheltenham TownLayer Road
24CBPat Baldwin11 September 2002Coventry CityHighfield Road
18FWJustin Richards22 October 2002Cheltenham TownWhaddon Road
25FBSam Stockley9 November 2002Bristol CityLayer Road[40]
21FWMvondo Atangana16 November 2002Chester CityLayer Road
18CBLiam Chilvers25 January 2003BlackpoolLayer Road
23FWGareth Williams25 January 2003BlackpoolLayer Road
26MFJohnnie Jackson11 March 2003BrentfordGriffin Park
28FWBen May29 March 2003Swindon TownLayer Road
29CBMike Edwards5 April 2003Plymouth ArgyleHome Park
27FB/MFGreg Halford21 April 2003Luton TownLayer Road

See also

References

General

Books

Websites

Specific

Notes and References

  1. Book: Whitehead . Jeff . Drury . Kevin . The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years . 2008 . Breedon Books . Derby . 978-1-85983-629-3 . 279.
  2. Web site: Colchester Utd 0–1 Queens Park Rangers . Coludata.co.uk . 14 October 2018 .
  3. Web site: Colchester Utd 1–0 Wigan Athletic . Coludata.co.uk . 5 October 2018 .
  4. Web site: Average Attendance Figures Per Season . Coludaybyday.co.uk . 14 October 2018 . 26 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150626124236/http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Club%20Stats/LeagueAveragesAttendance.html . dead .
  5. Web site: The 1990s and 2000s . Hudson . Matt . 11 August 2013 . Colchester United FC . 14 October 2018 .
  6. Web site: Appearances . Coludata.co.uk . 15 October 2018 .
  7. Web site: Colchester United . FootballSquads . 15 October 2018 .
  8. Web site: All Colchester United football club players: 2003 . 11v11.com . 15 October 2018 .
  9. Web site: Craig Johnston . 11v11.com . 26 October 2018 .
  10. Web site: Tristan Toney . 11v11.com . 26 October 2018 .
  11. Web site: Danny Steele . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  12. Web site: Dean Gerken . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  13. Web site: Greg Halford . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  14. Web site: Mark Warren . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  15. Web site: Richard McKinney (Goalkeeper) . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  16. Web site: Pat Baldwin . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  17. Web site: Sam Stockley . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  18. Web site: Simon Atangana . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  19. Web site: Mike Edwards . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  20. Web site: Con Blatsis . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  21. Web site: Anthony Allman . 11v11.com . 25 October 2018 .
  22. Web site: David Gregory . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  23. Web site: Ross Johnson . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  24. Web site: David Hadrava . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  25. Web site: Triston Chambers . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  26. Web site: Glenn Williamson . 11v11.com . 25 October 2018 .
  27. Web site: Lloyd Opara . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  28. Web site: Lloyd Opara . 11v11.com . 26 October 2018 .
  29. Web site: Leke Odunsi . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  30. Web site: Justin Richards . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  31. Web site: Gareth Williams . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  32. Web site: Liam Chilvers . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  33. Web site: Johnnie Jackson . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  34. Web site: Ben May . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  35. Web site: Adrian Coote . Coludata.co.uk . 25 October 2018 .
  36. Web site: Goals . Coludata.co.uk . 26 October 2018 .
  37. Web site: Discipline . Coludata.co.uk . 14 November 2018 .
  38. Web site: Clean sheets (1st team) . Coludata.co.uk . 14 November 2018 .
  39. Web site: Alltime- List of Debuts . Coludaybyday.co.uk . 14 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150626101319/http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Player%20Stats/PlayersDebuts/Alldebut.html . 26 June 2015 . dead .
  40. Web site: Colchester Utd 2–2 Bristol City . Coludata.co.uk . 14 November 2018 .

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