2002–03 Southampton F.C. season explained

Club:Southampton F.C.
Season:2002–03
Manager:Gordon Strachan
Chairman:Rupert Lowe
Stadium:St Mary's Stadium
League:Premier League
League Result:8th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Runners-up
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:Third round
League Topscorer:
James Beattie (23)
Season Topscorer:
James Beattie (24)
Highest Attendance:32,104 (vs. Liverpool, 18 January 2003)
Lowest Attendance:25,714 (vs. Charlton Athletic, 21 September 2002)
Average Attendance:30,680
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Prevseason:2001–02

The 2002–03 season was Southampton F.C.'s 11th season in the Premier League, and their 25th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

Season summary

After several seasons of underachievement, Southampton recorded a final placing of 8th, their highest placing in the Premier League. The club also reached the FA Cup final to face an Arsenal side which had narrowly missed out on the Premiership trophy; although Southampton lost by a single goal, as Arsenal had already qualified for the Champions League Southampton qualified for the UEFA Cup the following season.

A slow start to the season saw Southampton languishing in the relegation zone after eight matches played,[1] but a run of eight wins and only two losses from the next fifteen matches saw Southampton rocket up the league table, peaking in fifth place. Unfortunately, the charge for European qualification through the league soon fizzled out as Southampton only won four of their last fifteen matches, dragging them down to eighth place - nonetheless, this was Southampton's highest-ever finish in the Premier League. The low point of this run was a 6–1 loss against a below-strength Arsenal side preparing for the FA Cup final. This did not bode well for the Saints, as they had also managed to reach the final, but as it transpired in the final Arsenal barely edged past Southampton, winning 1–0. Despite the disappointment of not winning the FA Cup, Southampton were rewarded with their cup run with a place in the UEFA Cup, as Arsenal had already qualified for the Champions League.

Key to Southampton's high finish was good home form - Southampton only lost two home games all season, against Manchester United and Liverpool. The good season gave Southampton hope of a more sustained charge at European qualification the next season.

Premier League

See main article: 2002–03 FA Premier League.

DateOpponentsH/AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceLeague
position
17 August 2002MiddlesbroughH0–028,3419th
24 August 2002LiverpoolA0–343,05815th
28 August 2002ChelseaH1–1Fernandes 51'31,20816th
31 August 2002Tottenham HotspurA1–2Taricco 30' (o.g.)35,57318th
11 September 2002EvertonH1–0Pahars 73' (pen.)29,19017th
14 September 2002West Bromwich AlbionA0–126,38317th
21 September 2002Charlton AthleticH0–025,71418th
28 September 2002Bolton WanderersA1–1Bridge 82'22,69218th
5 October 2002Manchester CityH2–0Ormerod 2', 43'31,00913th
21 October 2002Aston VillaA1–0Beattie 48' (pen.)25,81712th
27 October 2002FulhamH4–2Beattie 27' (pen.), 42', 53', Ormerod 72'26,18810th
2 November 2002Manchester UnitedA1–2Fernandes 18'67,69110th
9 November 2002Blackburn RoversH1–1Beattie 38' (pen.)30,05910th
16 November 2002Newcastle UnitedA1–2Beattie 2'51,81211th
23 November 2002ArsenalH3–2Beattie 45', 59' (pen.), Delgado 67'31,7979th
2 December 2002West Ham UnitedA1 – 0Beattie 90'28,84410th
7 December 2002Birmingham CityH2–0Beattie 60' (pen.), 83'31,1327th
14 December 2002Newcastle UnitedH1–1Marsden 52'32,0617th
21 December 2002Leeds UnitedA1–1Fernandes 89'36,6877th
26 December 2002ChelseaA0–039,4289th
28 December 2002SunderlandH2–1Beattie 73', Tessem 90'31,4237th
1 January 2003Tottenham HotspurH1 – 0Beattie 82'31,8906th
11 January 2003MiddlesbroughA2 – 2Beattie 40', 60'27,4435th
18 January 2003LiverpoolH0 – 132,1048th
28 January 2003SunderlandA1 – 0Beattie 50'34,1026th
1 February 2003Manchester UnitedH0 – 232,0857th
8 February 2003Blackburn RoversA0–124,8969th
22 February 2003EvertonA1 – 2Beattie 33'36,56910th
1 March 2003West Bromwich AlbionH1–0Beattie 8'31,91510th
15 March 2003FulhamA2 – 2Beattie 81', M. Svensson 90'18,0319th
22 March 2003Aston VillaH2 – 2Beattie 40', Kevin Davies 90'31,8889th
5 April 2003West Ham UnitedH1 – 1Beattie 44'31,94111th
19 April 2003Leeds UnitedH3 – 2Ormerod 32', Beattie 45', A. Svensson 53'32,0328th
21 April 2003Birmingham CityA2 – 3A. Svensson 26', Ormerod 77'29,1159th
26 April 2003Charlton AthleticA1–2Beattie 90'25,89410th
3 May 2003Bolton WanderersH0–030,95111th
7 May 2003ArsenalA1–6Tessem 35'38,05211th
11 May 2003Manchester CityA1–0M. Svensson 34'34,9578th

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F – A		ScorersAttendance
4 January 2003Round 3Tottenham HotspurH4 – 0M. Svensson 13', Tessem 50', A. Svensson 56', Beattie 80'25,589
25 January 2003Round 4MillwallH1 – 1Davies 90'23,809
5 February 2003Round 4
Replay		MillwallA2 – 1
Oakley 21', 102'10,197
15 February 2003Round 5Norwich CityH2 – 0A. Svensson 71', Tessem 74'31,103
9 March 2003Round 6Wolverhampton WanderersH2 – 0Marsden 56', Butler 81' (o.g.)31,715
13 April 2003Semi-finalWatfordN2 – 1Ormerod 43', Robinson 80' (o.g.)42,602
17 May 2003FinalArsenalN0 – 173,726

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F – A		ScorersAttendance
2 October 2002Round 2Tranmere RoversH6 – 1Marsden 1', Ormerod 25', 43', 68', Fernandes 52', M. Svensson 66'16,603
6 November 2002Round 3LiverpoolA1 – 3Delgado 55'35,870

Squad statistics

No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDiscipline
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1GK Paul Jones13+101+100014+2000
2DF Jason Dodd13+201+102016+3010
3DF Wayne Bridge341402040160
4MF Chris Marsden3016+112138+13110
5DF Claus Lundekvam330602041000
6DF Paul Williams10+20100011+2031
7MF Andrei Kanchelskis0+10000+100+2000
8MF Matthew Oakley28+30722040220
9FW James Beattie35+323712044+32460
10FW Kevin Davies1+810+41001+12200
11DF Michael Svensson33+12712142+1451
12MF Anders Svensson26+726+121033+8430
13GK Neil Moss0000000000
14GK Antti Niemi250602033000
15DF Francis Benali2020004010
16MF Mark Draper0000000000
17FW Marian Pahars5+41000+105+5121
18MF Rory Delap22+203+101+1026+4020
19DF Danny Higginbotham3+60100010000
DF Marcus Hall0000000000
20MF David Prutton9+3000009+3020
MF Tahar El Khalej0+1000001000
21FW Jo Tessem9+1822+520+1011+24400
22MF Federico Arias0000000000
23MF Arron Davies0000000000
25DF Garry Monk1000001000
26MF Imants Bleidelis0000000000
27GK Scott Bevan0000000000
28GK Alan Blayney0000000000
29MF Fabrice Fernandes35+235+201141+4440
30FW Scott McDonald0000000000
32DF Chris Baird1+2010004010
33DF Paul Telfer26+60601033+6040
34FW Agustín Delgado2+4100113+4200
35MF Cléber Chalá0000000000
36FW Brett Ormerod22+955+211328+11940

Transfers

In

DatePos.NameFromFee
27 August 2002GK Antti Niemi Heart of Midlothian£2m[2]
31 August 2002DF Marcus Hall Nottingham ForestFree[3]
31 August 2002MF Andrei Kanchelskis RangersFree
31 January 2003DF Danny Higginbotham Derby County£1.5m[4]
31 January 2003MF David Prutton Nottingham Forest£2.5m[5]
12 May 2003DF Darren Kenton Norwich CityFree[6]
12 May 2003FW Dexter Blackstock Oxford UnitedUndisclosed[7]

Out

Date Pos.NameToFee
2 July 2002FW Dani Rodrigues WalsallFree[8]
2 July 2002DF Dan PetrescuUnattachedReleased[9]
10 December 2002DF Marcus Hall Stoke CityFree[10]
10 January 2003MF Cléber ChaláUnattachedReleased[11]
25 January 2003MF Tahar El Khalej Charlton AthleticReleased[12]
31 January 2003MF Imants Bleidelis ViborgFree
5 February 2003GK Neil Moss BournemouthFree
7 February 2003MF Andrei Kanchelskis Al-HilalFree
22 May 2003MF Matt Crowell WrexhamFree
31 May 2003FW Scott McDonaldUnattachedReleased[13]

Loan out

Date fromDate toPos.NameMoving to
3 July 200229 October 2002FW Scott McDonald Huddersfield Town[15]
10 July 20021 June 2003FW Jacinto Ela Hércules
10 July 20024 April 2003GK Scott Bevan Huddersfield Town
13 September 200224 December 2002GK Neil Moss Bournemouth
13 September 200211 November 2002FW Kevin Davies Millwall
28 October 200228 January 2003GK Alan Blayney Stockport County
13 December 200219 March 2003DF Garry Monk Sheffield Wednesday
25 December 200225 January 2003GK Alan Blayney Bournemouth
27 March 200319 August 2003FW Scott McDonald Bournemouth

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Southampton Home Page for the 2002-2003 season - Statto.com. Statto Organisation. Ltd.
  2. News: Southampton seal Niemi deal . . 27 August 2002 . 22 April 2010 .
  3. News: New duo for Southampton . . 31 August 2002 . 22 April 2010 .
  4. News: Saints seal Higginbotham deal . . 13 February 2003 . 22 April 2010 .
  5. News: Saints swoop for Prutton . . 31 January 2003 . 22 April 2010 .
  6. News: Kenton joins Southampton on free transfer . The Sports Network . 12 May 2003 . 22 April 2010 .
  7. Web site: Dexter Blackstock . . 22 April 2010 .
  8. Web site: Transfers - July, 2002 . . 5 September 2002 . 22 April 2010 .
  9. News: Saints release Petrescu . . 2 July 2002 . 22 April 2010 .
  10. Web site: Saints let Hall join Stoke. BBC Sport. 6 May 2013.
  11. News: Saints offload Kanchelskis . . 6 February 2003 . 22 April 2010 .
  12. News: El-Khalej released . FootyMAD . 25 January 2003 . 22 April 2010 .
  13. Web site: Scott McDonald . . 22 April 2010 .
  14. Web site: Federico Arias - Velez - details and stats . . 22 April 2010 .
  15. News: Price war in Facey move . The Huddersfield Daily Examiner . 5 July 2002 . 22 April 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120320042858/http://www.examiner.co.uk/huddersfield-town-fc/huddersfield-town-news/2002/07/05/price-war-in-facey-move-50060-12010565/ . 20 March 2012 . dead . dmy-all .

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