2002–03 Bradford City A.F.C. season

Bradford City
2002–03 season
Chairman Gordon Gibb
Manager Nicky Law
Stadium Valley Parade
First Division 19th
FA Cup Third round
League Cup First round
Top goalscorer League:
Andy Gray (15)
All:
Andy Gray (15)[1]
Highest home attendance 19,088 (vs. Portsmouth, 4 May)
Lowest home attendance 10,615 (vs. Wimbledon, 9 November)
Average home league attendance 12,500[2]

During the 2002–03 English football season, Bradford City competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

Just after the end of the previous season, Bradford had been placed into administration, as a result of the collapse of ITV Digital, "six weeks of madness" in the transfer market in 2000 and the collapse of the sale of Benito Carbone (on weekly wages of £40,000) to Middlesbrough. The only way for Bradford, £13 million into debt, to move forward was to going into administration to try and save the club and find a buyer. Cuts had to be made, the most drastic being the cancelling of the contracts of sixteen members of the professional squad, leaving manager Nicky Law with five professionals with a handful of senior appearances among them and sixteen scholars.

After a summer of uncertainty, on 1 August the administrators managed to get creditors to accept a Creditors Voluntary Agreement, which would reschedule debts and reinstate the players, who had gone unpaid since April. One player not to return was Benito Carbone, who sacrificed a large chunk of the money owed to him on his contract and moved back to Italy. Chairman Richmond resigned from the board of directors on 10 August, after a reign of eight years. He was replaced as chairman by theme park magnate and new co-owner Gordon Gibb, who, along with Julian Rhodes, had completed a take-over of the club at the 11th hour before Bradford were due to lose their Football League status.[3]

On 30 August, agreement was finally reached with the Professional Footballers' Association over payment owed to the players. With agreement having already been made with the creditors, this now allowed the Football League to return Bradford City's share in the League, effectively bringing the club out of administration.

With a transfer embargo in place, manager Nicky Law had to show an eye for a bargain and unearthed some raw talent. Youngsters Danny Forrest and Simon Francis emerged while Law worked the loan system to cope with an horrific list of injuries.

Bradford eventually finished the season in 19th place; given all that had happened off the field, this was to be considered a success.[4]

Claus Jorgensen scored in eight consecutive away matches.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1Portsmouth4617335222128345239745+5298
2Leicester City4616524012109433287340+3392
3Sheffield United4613733823104934297252+2080
4Reading46133733211211028256146+1579
5Wolverhampton Wanderers4691044019116641258144+3776
6Nottingham Forest4614725723671025278250+3274
7Ipswich Town461058493998631258064+1670
8Norwich City4614453617581024326049+1169
9Millwall4611663432831225375969–1066
10Wimbledon4612563928661137457673+365
11Gillingham461067333168923345665–962
12Preston North End4611754429561224416870–261
13Watford4611573326641321445470–1660
14Crystal Palace4681052917671030355952+759
15Rotherham United468962725751135376262±059
16Burnley4610493544561230456589–2455
17Walsall46103103434561223355769–1254
18Derby County469593332621522425574–1952
19Bradford City467882735721424385173–2252
20Coventry City466611233168923314662–1650
21Stoke City469682525381220444569–2450
22Sheffield Wednesday467792932391127415673–1746
23Brighton & Hove Albion4676102931461320364967–1845
24Grimsby Town4656122639461322464885–3739
  • Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Football League Champions, promoted to FA Premier League
Promoted to FA Premier League
Participated in play-offs
Promoted to Premier League through play-offs
Relegated

Results

Bradford City's score comes first[5]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
11 August 2002Wolverhampton WanderersH0-013,223
13 August 2002Crystal PalaceA1-115,205Tod
17 August 2002Stoke CityA1-212,424Gray
24 August 2002Grimsby TownH0-010,914
26 August 2002Ipswich TownA2-125,457Evans, Proctor
31 August 2002Rotherham UnitedH4-212,385Ward (2), Uhlenbeek, Proctor
14 September 2002WalsallA1-04,678Gray
17 September 2002Leicester CityA0-424,651
21 September 2002BurnleyH2-214,561Gray, Proctor
24 September 2002Coventry CityH1-111,655Evans
28 September 2002PortsmouthA0-318,459
5 October 2002Preston North EndH1-113,215Proctor
12 October 2002Derby CountyH0-013,385
19 October 2002Sheffield WednesdayA1-217,191Warnock
26 October 2002Norwich CityH2-112,888Reid (2)
29 October 2002ReadingA0-112,110
2 November 2002Brighton & Hove AlbionA2-36,319Gray (2, 1 pen)
9 November 2002WimbledonH3-510,615Facey, Standing (2)
16 November 2002Nottingham ForestA0-319,653
23 November 2002Sheffield UnitedH0-513,364
30 November 2002MillwallA0-18,510
7 December 2002GillinghamH1-310,711
14 December 2002Nottingham ForestH1-012,245Molenaar
21 December 2002WatfordA0-112,579
26 December 2002Stoke CityH4-214,575Gray (2, 1 pen), Handyside (own goal), Jørgensen
28 December 2002Wolverhampton WanderersA2-125,812Jørgensen, Gray
18 January 2003Rotherham UnitedA2-36,939Jørgensen, Gray (pen)
25 January 2003Grimsby TownA2-15,582Gray, Jørgensen
1 February 2003Ipswich TownH2-012,080Jørgensen, Forrest
8 February 2003WimbledonA2-21,178Jørgensen, Ward
15 February 2003Brighton & Hove AlbionH0-111,520
22 February 2003Coventry CityA2-012,525Gray, Jørgensen
1 March 2003WalsallH1-210,893Forrest
4 March 2003Leicester CityH0-011,531
8 March 2003Crystal PalaceH2-111,016Atherton, Francis
15 March 2003Derby CountyA2-123,735Jørgensen, Lawrence
18 March 2003Sheffield WednesdayH1-114,452Gray (pen)
22 March 2003ReadingH0-111,385
25 March 2003BurnleyA2-011,095Jørgensen, Gray
29 March 2003Norwich CityA2-318,536Forrest, Jørgensen (pen)
5 April 2003MillwallH0-110,676
19 April 2003WatfordH2-111,145Jørgensen, Gray (pen)
21 April 2003GillinghamA0-16,281
26 April 2003Preston North EndA0-113,652
29 April 2003Sheffield UnitedA0-318,297
4 May 2003PortsmouthH0-519,088

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R34 January 2003West Bromwich AlbionA1-319,909Danks

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R110 September 2002WrexhamA1-22,232Cadamarteri

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 England GK Gary Walsh
2 England DF Peter Atherton
3 England DF Andy Myers
4 England MF Tom Kearney
5 England DF David Wetherall (captain)
6 England DF Mark Bower
8 England FW Danny Cadamarteri
9 England FW Ashley Ward
10 Wales MF Paul Evans
11 Scotland FW Andy Gray
12 Netherlands DF Robert Molenaar
14 Suriname DF Gus Uhlenbeek
15 Spain MF Juanjo
16 England MF Michael Standing
17 Northern Ireland GK Aidan Davison
No. Position Player
18 England DF Lewis Emanuel
19 Faroe Islands MF Claus Bech Jørgensen
20 Scotland DF Andy Tod
21 England MF Andy Lee
22 England DF Wayne Jacobs
24 Australia MF Paul Reid
34 England DF Simon Francis
35 England FW Mark Danks
38 England FW Danny Forrest
39 England FW Kevin Sanasy
41 England MF Tom Penford
43 England FW Ben Muirhead
45 Netherlands FW Laurens ten Heuvel (on loan from Sheffield United)

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
7 Jamaica MF Jamie Lawrence (to Walsall)
10 Italy FW Benito Carbone (to Como)
11 Scotland MF Eoin Jess (to Nottingham Forest)
13 England GK Steve Banks (on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
14 Scotland MF Gary Locke (to Kilmarnock)
23 England FW Michael Proctor (on loan from Sunderland)
25 England DF Stephen Warnock (on loan from Liverpool)
No. Position Player
26 England GK Dave Beasant (to Wigan Athletic)
27 England MF Harpal Singh (on loan from Leeds United)
28 Grenada FW Delroy Facey (on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
29 Wales GK Boaz Myhill (on loan from Aston Villa)
34 England FW Damian Hatton (retired)
37 England FW Graeme Tomlinson (to Bedford Town)
42 England GK Neil Bennett (to Rochdale)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
30 Denmark GK Stefan Magnusson
31 England MF Craig Fishlock
32 England DF Robert Morgan
33 England DF Keith Brodie
No. Position Player
36 England GK Nicky Beach
40 England FW Daniel Ekoku
44 England DF Frazer McHugh
46 England DF Jake Wright

Transfers

In

Out

Statistics

Starting 11

Considering starts in all competitions[6]

References

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