2002–03 Gillingham F.C. season

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Gillingham F.C.
2002–03 season
ChairmanPaul Scally
ManagerAndy Hessenthaler
First Division11th
FA CupFourth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Paul Shaw (12)
All: Paul Shaw (12)

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.

Gillingham topped the table after three matches, but that would be as good as it got for the Kent side. They were within a shout of the playoffs as late as March,[1] but a run of three wins from their last thirteen (two of those wins came in the final three games)[1] saw their slim promotion hopes quashed, although the final 11th place was Gillingham's highest ever in the Football League.

In the FA Cup, Gillingham earned a 1–1 home draw against Premiers League Leeds United in the fourth round, before losing 2–1 in the replay at Elland Road. This would be the scoreline that saw Gillingham knocked out of the League Cup too, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Background and pre-season[edit]

Gillingham continued to manufacture their team kits under their own brand, while French ferry company SeaFrance remained kit sponsors. The kit was essentially the same as that worn the previous season, except that the collar had been changed, to a v-neck shape with a red band.[2]

First Division[edit]

August–December[edit]

Gillingham's first game of the season was away to Wimbledon.[3] The match drew a very low attendance as Wimbledon's supporters almost totally boycotted the game in protest against a proposal by their team's owners to relocate the club to the town of Milton Keynes.[4]

League match details[edit]

Key

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match
Results[3]
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[edit]

Main article: 2002–03 Football League First Division
Football League First Division final table, positions 9–13
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
Source: [citation needed]

FA Cup[edit]

Elland Road football stadium
Gillingham were eliminated from the FA Cup at Elland Road, home of Leeds United.

As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the 2002–03 FA Cup at the third round stage.

FA Cup match details[edit]

Key

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match
Results
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[edit]

Stamford Bridge football stadium
Gillingham were eliminated from the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea.

As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the 2002–03 Football League Cup in the first round.

League Cup match details[edit]

Key

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match
Results
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[edit]

Paul Shaw (pictured in 2011) was the team's top goalscorer.
Footballer Jason Brown
Jason Brown made 39 appearances in goal.
Player statistics[3]
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
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 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
TBC Mark Patterson 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 0
TBC Adrian Pennock 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "First Division table, 29 March 2003, Statto". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  2. ^ Gillingham historical football kits
  3. ^ a b c Brown 2003, p. 112.
  4. ^ "Wimbledon 0–1 Gillingham". BBC Sport. 10 August 2002. Retrieved 27 May 2024.

Works cited[edit]

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