2002–03 Stoke City F.C. season

The 2002–03 season was Stoke City's 96th season in the Football League and the 36th in the second tier.

Stoke City
2002–03 season
ChairmanGunnar Gíslason
ManagerSteve Cotterill,
Dave Kevan,
Tony Pulis
StadiumBritannia Stadium
Football League First Division21st (50 Points)
FA CupFifth Round
League CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Andy Cooke (6)
All: Chris Iwelumo (7)
Highest home attendance21,023 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (5 March 2003)
Lowest home attendance10,406 vs Walsall (26 February 2003)
Average home league attendance14,532

Stoke now back in the First Division appointed young manager Steve Cotterill prior to the start of the season. Cotterill had got an impressive reputation following his success with Cheltenham Town but after just 13 matches in charge he shocked the club by quitting in favour of becoming assistant manager at Sunderland. Dave Kevan took over as caretaker until Tony Pulis was appointed in November. His task was to ensure Stoke survived which looked a tough ask as Stoke went 16 matches without a win and when Stoke did manage to get a positive result they lost 6–0 at Nottingham Forest. Following that defeat Pulis improved his defence and results were slowly being ground out and it went to the final day of the season against Reading, with Stoke knowing that if they win they will stay up and thanks to Ade Akinbiyi they won 1–0 and finished four points above the relegation zone.[1]

Season review

League

With Gudjon Thordarson failing to gain a new contract the Stoke board moved to appoint Steve Cotterill from Cheltenham Town.[1] Cotterill was seen as one of the best young managers in the country and it was hoped that he would be a long term appointment.[2] He brought in Chris Greenacre a striker from Mansfield Town where he had been a prolific goalscorer. The season started with a 0–0 draw away at Sheffield Wednesday and their first win came at home to Bradford City. This was followed by a 4–3 defeat at Preston North End and defeats by Derby and Burnley.[1] Stoke then went five matches unbeaten to lift them away from danger but the club was shocked on 10 October 2002 as Cotterill quit the club in favour of becoming assistant manager at Sunderland.[1][3]

Dave Kevan assumed a caretaker manager role and in his four matches in charge Stoke lost them all to start a worrying run of results.[1] The board had expected to appoint George Burley as manager but somewhat surprisingly Tony Pulis was the man given the job.[1] Pulis had previously turned down the chance to manage the club in 1999 and his appointment was not a popular one with the supporters.[1] In his first match in charge away at Walsall he received a less than warm welcome and Stoke crashed to a 4–2 defeat.[1] It took Pulis' team nine more matches to register a victory and after it looked as though Stoke could start pulling away from relegation they suffered humiliation by losing 6–0 at Nottingham Forest and the survival bid looked grim.[1]

But Pulis signed a number of players on loan which included Ade Akinbiyi, Paul Warhurst, Lee Mills, and goalkeepers Steve Banks and Mark Crossley.[1] Pulis made Stoke a difficult team to beat and after three hard-fought goalless draws against teams trying to gain promotion Stoke gained vital victories against Watford, Rotherham United, Wimbledon and Coventry City.[1] This took the relegation fight to the last day of the season with Stoke needing a victory against Reading to ensure their stay in First Division would be extended.[1] A 55th-minute strike from Ade Akinbiyi sealed the win they needed and Stoke could start building for the future.[1][4]

FA Cup

Two 3–0 wins against Wigan Athletic and Bournemouth set up a tie against Premier League Chelsea and two second half goals gave the Londoners a 2–0 victory.[1]

League Cup

Stoke lost in the first round to Bury 1–0 at Gigg Lane.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
19 Bradford City 46 14 10 22 51 73 22 52
20 Coventry City 46 12 14 20 46 62 16 50
21 Stoke City 46 12 14 20 45 69 24 50
22 Sheffield Wednesday (R) 46 10 16 20 56 73 17 46 Relegation to 2003–04 Second Division
23 Brighton & Hove Albion (R) 46 11 12 23 49 67 18 45
Updated to match(es) played on 11 May 2003. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated.

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Pre-Season Friendlies

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
114 July 2002Newcastle TownA7–13,379Winters, Goodfellow (2), Greenacre (3), Neal
222 July 2002Wacker BurghausenA0–2
326 July 2002Sturm GrazA1–1Handyside
431 July 2002West Bromwich AlbionH0–06,241
53 August 2002Birmingham CityH0–25,781

Football League First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReports
110 August 2002Sheffield WednesdayA0–026,746Report
214 August 2002Leicester CityH0–114,028Report
317 August 2002Bradford CityH2–112,424Cooke 4', Marteinsson 34'Report
424 August 2002Preston North EndA3–415,422Clarke (2) 7', 65' (2 pens), Cooke 90+2'Report
526 August 2002Norwich CityH1–113,931Commons 74'Report
631 August 2002Derby CountyA0–221,723Report
714 September 2002BurnleyA1–214,244Guðjónsson 74'Report
817 September 2002Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–16,369Mooney 17' (pen), Cooke 90'Report
921 September 2002Ipswich TownH2–114,587Shtanyuk 17', Cooke 80'Report
1025 September 2002Nottingham ForestH2–214,554Shtanyuk 13', Goodfellow 72'Report
1128 September 2002ReadingA1–113,646Vandeurzen 39'Report
125 October 2002Crystal PalaceH1–114,214Iwelumo 85'Report
1319 October 2002Wolverhampton WanderersH0–216,885Report
1423 October 2002Sheffield UnitedA1–215,163Greenacre 84'Report
1526 October 2002Rotherham UnitedA0–47,078Report
1630 October 2002WatfordH1–211,215Mooney 72'Report
172 November 2002WalsallA2–46,391Cooke (2) 77', 81'Report
189 November 2002Grimsby TownH1–211,488Mooney 50' (pen)Report
1916 November 2002PortsmouthA0–318,701Report
2023 November 2002MillwallH0–113,776Report
2130 November 2002GillinghamA1–18,150Clarke 56'Report
227 December 2002Coventry CityH1–212,760Hoekstra 35'Report
2314 December 2002PortsmouthH1–113,330Gunnarsson 34'Report
2421 December 2002WimbledonA1–11,697Iwelumo 88'Report
2526 December 2002Bradford CityA2–414,575Marteinsson 9', Henry 23'Report
2628 December 2002Sheffield WednesdayH3–216,042Iwelumo (2) 16', 66', Gunnarsson 90+4'Report
271 January 2003Preston North EndH2–114,862Gunnarsson 43', Hoekstra 45'Report
2811 January 2003Leicester CityA0–025,058Report
2918 January 2003Derby CountyH1–317,308Greenacre 63'Report
301 February 2003Norwich CityA2–220,186Gunnarsson 63', Mills 88'Report
318 February 2003Grimsby TownA0–25,657Report
3222 February 2003Nottingham ForestA0–624,085Report
3326 February 2003WalsallH1–010,409Mills 19'Report
341 March 2003BurnleyH0–112,874Report
355 March 2003Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–021,023Greenacre 83'Report
368 March 2003Ipswich TownA0–024,547Report
3715 March 2003Sheffield UnitedH0–014,449Report
3818 March 2003Wolverhampton WanderersA0–025,235Report
3922 March 2003WatfordA2–112,570Hoekstra (2) 34' 49', (1 pen)Report
405 April 2003GillinghamH0–012,746Report
419 April 2003Rotherham UnitedH2–019,553Warhurst 21', Cooke 40'Report
4212 April 2003MillwallA1–38,725Shtanyuk 73'Report
4319 April 2003WimbledonH2–112,587Gunnarsson 29', Akinbiyi 45'Report
4421 April 2003Coventry CityA1–012,675Montgomery 87' (o.g.)Report
4526 April 2003Crystal PalaceA0–116,604Report
464 May 2003ReadingH1–020,477Akinbiyi 55'Report

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReport
R34 January 2003Wigan AthleticH3–09,618Greenacre (2) 20', 67' Iwelumo 31'Report
R425 January 2003BournemouthH3–012,004Iwelumo (2) 45', 51' (1 pen), Hoekstra 84'Report
R516 February 2003ChelseaH0–226,615Report

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReport
R110 September 2002BuryA0–12,581Report

Squad statistics

No. Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total Discipline
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1GK Neil Cutler 2001(1)01022(1)000
2DF Wayne Thomas 410301045061
3DF Clive Clarke 27(4)3001028(4)350
4DF Peter Handyside 440201047031
5DF Sergei Shtanuk 443201047381
6MF Brynjar Gunnarsson 4053010445102
7MF Bjarni Guðjónsson 25(11)12(1)01028(12)120
8FW Andy Cooke 24(7)6001025(7)640
9FW Lee Mills 7(4)200007(4)200
10FW Chris Greenacre 18(12)4320021(12)610
11MF Peter Hoekstra 26(4)4210(1)028(5)560
12GK Jani Viander 0000000000
14GK Ben Foster 0000000000
15FW Chris Iwelumo 15(17)4331019(17)740
16FW Tommy Mooney 11(1)3000011(1)301
16DF Frazer Richardson 7000007000
17MF James O'Connor 4303010470120
18MF Lewis Neal 7(9)01(2)0008(11)020
19FW Marc Goodfellow 6(14)10(3)00(1)06(18)100
20MF Mark Wilson 4000004000
21MF Pétur Marteinsson 7(5)21(1)0008(6)231
22MF Brian Wilson 1(2)000001(2)000
23MF Karl Henry 15(3)12(1)00(1)017(5)110
24MF Kris Commons 6(2)100109100
25DF Gareth Owen 0000000000
26FW Ade Akinbiyi 4200004200
27MF Jurgen Vandeurzen 7(5)100007(5)100
27FW Paul Warhurst 4(1)100004(1)110
28GK Mark Crossley 120000012020
29DF Richard Keogh 0000000000
30DF Marcus Hall 23(1)0300026(1)030
31GK Steve Banks 140200016000
32DF Mark Williams 5(1)000005(1)010
33FW Laurence Hall 0000000000
Own goals 1001

References

  1. "Stoke City season review 2002-03 City leave it late to ensure survival". The Sentinel. 15 May 2003.
  2. "Cotterill unveiled by Stoke". London: The Telegraph. 27 May 2002. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  3. "Stoke 'shocked' by Cotterill walkout". London: The Guardian. 10 October 2002. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  4. "Akinbiyi keeps Stoke up". BBC Sport. 4 May 2003. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
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