2002–03 Gillingham F.C. season
2002–03 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Paul Scally | |
Manager | Andy Hessenthaler | |
First Division | 11th | |
FA Cup | Fourth round | |
League Cup | Third round | |
Top goalscorer | League: Paul Shaw (12) All: Paul Shaw (12) | |
Highest home attendance | tbc | |
Lowest home attendance | tbc | |
| ||
During the 2002–03 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, the second tier of the English football league system. It was the 71st season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 53rd since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. It was Gillingham's third consecutive season in the second tier of the English football league system, to which the club had gained promotion for the first time in 2000.
Background and pre-season
The 2002–03 season was Gillingham's 71st season playing in the Football League and the 53rd since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938. In the 1999–2000 season, Gillingham beat Wigan Athletic in the Second Division play-off final to reach the second tier of the English football league system for the first time in the club's history.[1][2] In the team's first season at this level, Gillingham were seen by pundits as likely to finish in the bottom three places of the First Division league table and thus be immediately relegated back to the third tier,[3] but instead finished in 13th place out of 24 teams.[4] The following season, they improved on this performance, finishing in 12th place.
Andy Hessenthaler was the club's manager, a position he had held since 2000. Richard Hill, who had held the title of assistant manager during the previous season, was made joint head coach with Wayne Jones, whose job title had previously been first team coach. Both were not offered new long-term contracts but required to work on weekly contracts due to financial issues at the club linked to the collapse of ITV Digital and the resultant loss of the Football League's lucrative TV rights deal with the broadcaster.[5][6] Paul Smith was the team captain.
Shortly after the end of the previous season, Marlon King, Gillingham's top goalscorer during the 2001–02 campaign, was sent to prison after being caught driving a stolen car the previous year.[7] In his place, Gillingham signed two veteran forwards, 31-year-old Tommy Johnson from Sheffield Wednesday and Rod Wallace, aged 32, from Bolton Wanderers. Days before the new season started, the club also signed a young forward, Mamady Sidibe, who had left Swansea City at the end of the previous campaign; he was offered a contract after playing for Gillingham in pre-season friendly matches. Hessenthaler told the press "We see him as the future because we've got a lot of players who are 30-plus and we need to start bringing a few younger ones in."[8]
First Division
August–December
Gillingham's first game of the season was away to Wimbledon.[9] The match drew an attendance of only 2,476, less than half that of any other league game which Gillingham played during the season,[9] as Wimbledon's supporters almost totally boycotted the game in protest against a proposal by their team's owners to relocate the club to Milton Keynes.[10] Guy Ipoua scored the only goal of the game to give Gillingham a 1–0 victory. Sidibe made his Gillingham debut in the starting line-up and Johnson made his as a late substitute.
January–May
Gillingham ended the season with a 2–1 victory at home to Crystal Palace. Nyron Nosworthy, normally a defender but playing as a forward due to injuries to King and Wallace, scored both goals, his first for the team for more than three years. The result meant that Gillingham ended the season in 11th place in the First Division, the highest finish in the English football league system in the club's history.[11]
League match details
Key
- In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
- H = Home match
- A = Away match
- pen. = Penalty kick
- o.g. = Own goal
Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 August 2002 | Wimbledon (A) | 1–0 | Ipoua | 2,476 |
13 August 2002 | Derby County (H) | 1–0 | Shaw | 8,775 |
17 August 2002 | Millwall (H) | 1–0 | Ipoua | 7,543 |
24 August 2002 | Norwich City (A) | 0–1 | 20,588 | |
26 August 2002 | Preston North End (H) | 1–1 | Saunders | 7,785 |
31 August 2002 | Leicester City (A) | 0–2 | 30,067 | |
7 September 2002 | Portsmouth (H) | 1–3 | James | 8,717 |
14 September 2002 | Brighton & Hove Albion (A) | 4–2 | Shaw (2), Perpetuini, James | 6,733 |
18 September 2002 | Nottingham Forest (A) | 1–4 | Hessenthaler | 16,073 |
21 September 2002 | Sheffield United (H) | 1–1 | Shaw | 7,497 |
29 September 2002 | Crystal Palace (A) | 2–2 | Perpetuini, Mullins (o.g.) | 15,699 |
5 October 2002 | Coventry City (H) | 0–2 | 7,722 | |
12 October 2002 | Rotherham United (A) | 1–1 | Wallace | 6,094 |
19 October 2002 | Watford (H) | 3–0 | Sidibe, Ipoua, James | 8,728 |
26 October 2002 | Ipswich Town (A) | 1–0 | Sidibe | 24,176 |
29 October 2002 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | 0–4 | 10,036 | |
2 November 2002 | Grimsby Town (A) | 1–1 | Saunders | 5,715 |
9 November 2002 | Reading (H) | 0–1 | 8,511 | |
16 November 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday (H) | 1–1 | T. Johnson | 8,028 |
23 November 2002 | Walsall (A) | 0–1 | 6,630 | |
30 November 2002 | Stoke City (H) | 1–1 | Shaw | 8,150 |
7 December 2002 | Bradford City (A) | 3–1 | King (2, 1 pen.), Wallace | 10,711 |
14 December 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday (A) | 2–0 | Wallace, Smith | 17,715 |
21 December 2002 | Burnley (H) | 4–2 | Wallace, Smith (2), King | 7,905 |
26 December 2002 | Millwall (A) | 2–2 | Saunders, King (pen.) | 10,947 |
11 January 2003 | Derby County (A) | 1–1 | Ipoua | 22,769 |
18 January 2003 | Leicester City (H) | 3–2 | Shaw, Elliott (o.g.), Sidibe | 8,609 |
1 February 2003 | Preston North End (A) | 0–3 | 12,121 | |
10 February 2003 | Reading (A) | 1–2 | Wallace | 11,030 |
15 February 2003 | Grimsby Town (H) | 3–0 | Wallace (2), Hope | 7,158 |
22 February 2003 | Portsmouth (A) | 0–1 | 19,521 | |
25 February 2003 | Norwich City (H) | 1–0 | Wallace | 7,935 |
1 March 2003 | Brighton & Hove Albion (H) | 3–0 | Shaw, T. Johnson (pen.), Southall | 9,178 |
4 March 2003 | Nottingham Forest (H) | 1–4 | Wallace | 7,277 |
11 March 2003 | Wimbledon (H) | 3–3 | Shaw (2), Wallace | 7,884 |
15 March 2003 | Rotherham United (H) | 1–1 | Wallace | 7,284 |
18 March 2003 | Watford (A) | 1–0 | Shaw | 10,492 |
22 March 2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) | 0–6 | 25,171 | |
25 March 2003 | Sheffield United (A) | 2–2 | Osborn, Shaw | 15,799 |
29 March 2003 | Ipswich Town (H) | 1–3 | Smith | 8,508 |
5 April 2003 | Stoke City (A) | 0–0 | 12,746 | |
12 April 2003 | Walsall (H) | 0–1 | 6,972 | |
19 April 2003 | Burnley (A) | 0–2 | 14,031 | |
21 April 2003 | Bradford City (H) | 1–0 | Shaw | 6,281 |
26 April 2003 | Coventry City (A) | 0–0 | 14,795 | |
4 May 2003 | Crystal Palace (H) | 2–1 | Nosworthy (2) | 9,315 |
Partial league table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 | Millwall | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 59 | 69 | −10 | 66 |
10 | Wimbledon | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 76 | 73 | +3 | 65 |
11 | Gillingham | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 56 | 65 | −9 | 62 |
12 | Preston North End | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 68 | 70 | −2 | 61 |
13 | Watford | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 54 | 70 | −16 | 60 |
FA Cup
As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the 2002–03 FA Cup at the third round stage.
FA Cup match details
Key
- In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
- H = Home match
- A = Away match
- pen. = Penalty kick
- o.g. = Own goal
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 January 2003 | Third | Sheffield Wednesday (H) | 4–1 | King (2, 1 pen.), Ipoua, Hope | 6,434 |
25 January 2003 | Fourth | Leeds United (H) | 1–1 | Sidibe | 11,093 |
4 February 2003 | Fourth (replay) | Leeds United (A) | 1–2 | Ipoua | 29,359 |
Football League Cup
As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the 2002–03 Football League Cup in the first round.
League Cup match details
Key
- In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
- H = Home match
- A = Away match
- pen. = Penalty kick
- o.g. = Own goal
10 September 2002 | First | Torquay United (A) | 1–0 | Hessenthaler | 1,981 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 October 2002 | Second | Stockport County (A) | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Ipoua, T, Johnson | 2,396 |
6 November 2002 | Third | Chelsea (A) | 1–2 | King | 28,033 |
Players
No. | Player | Position | First Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
1 | Vince Bartram | GK | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
2 | Mark Patterson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
3 | Roland Edge | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
4 | Paul Smith | 45 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 4 | |
5 | Barry Ashby | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 0 | |
7 | Nyron Nosworthy | 39 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 2 | |
8 | Andy Hessenthaler | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 2 | |
9 | Marlon King | 10 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 7 | |
10 | Guy Ipoua | 33 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 7 | |
12 | Paul Shaw | 44 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 12 | |
13 | Jason Brown | 39 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
14 | Leon Johnson | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
15 | Mark Saunders | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 3 | |
16 | Richard Rose | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
17[a] | Adrian Pennock | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
17[a] | Akwasi Edusei | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
18 | Chris Hope | 46 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 52 | 2 | |
19 | Rod Wallace | 22 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 11 | |
20 | Kevin James | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
21 | Simon Osborn | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
22 | Danny Spiller | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
23 | Tommy Johnson | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 3 | |
26 | David Perpetuini | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
27 | Jones Awuah | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
28 | Andrew Crofts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
29 | Mamady Sidibe | 30 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 4 | |
30 | Nicky Southall | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
FW = Forward, MF = Midfielder, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender
a. ^ Edusei was not allocated a squad number until late in the season and was given the number worn earlier in the season by Pennock, who had since left the club.
References
- ^ Rollin & Rollin 2000, pp. 34–35.
- ^ "Second time lucky for Gills". BBC Sport. 28 May 2000. Archived from the original on 3 March 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Tomas, Jason (6 August 2000). "Football: Nationwide League Countdown: Nationwide predictions". The Observer. p. 6. Retrieved 23 November 2021 – via Gale.
- ^ Rollin & Rollin 2001, p. 44.
- ^ "Hill loses assistant manager's title". Kent Online. KM Group. 6 June 2002. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ Parkinson, Gary (30 April 2022). ""Everyone said, 'This sounds too good to be true'. It turned out to be exactly that." – Remembering the fall of ITV Digital, twenty years on". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ "Footballer jailed over stolen car". BBC News. 10 May 2002. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ "Gills sign striker Sidibe". BBC Sport. 7 August 2002. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d Brown 2003, p. 112.
- ^ "Wimbledon 0–1 Gillingham". BBC Sport. 10 August 2002. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "Gillingham 2–1 Palace". BBC Sport. 4 May 2003. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
Works cited
- Brown, Tony (2003). The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record. Nottingham: Soccerdata. ISBN 1-899468-20-X.
- Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2000). Rothmans Football Yearbook 2000–01. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-74727-232-8.
- Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2001). Rothmans Football Yearbook 2001–02. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-74727-260-1.
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