1902–03 Small Heath F.C. season

The 1902–03 Football League season was Small Heath Football Club's 11th in the Football League and their 8th in the Second Division. Having been relegated in 1901–02, they reached the top two positions by mid-November and remained there for the rest of the season, finishing as runners-up in the 18-team league, so were promoted back to the First Division at the first attempt. They also took part in the 1902–03 FA Cup, entering at the first round proper (round of 32) and losing in that round to Derby County. In locally organised competition, they lost to Aston Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup after two replays.[1]

Small Heath F.C.
1902–03 season
ChairmanWalter W. Hart
Secretary-managerAlf Jones
GroundCoventry Road
Football League Second Division2nd (promoted)
FA CupFirst round (eliminated by Derby County)
Birmingham Senior CupFirst round (eliminated by Aston Villa)
Top goalscorerLeague: Arthur Leonard (16)
All: Arthur Leonard (16)
Highest home attendance13,000 vs Chesterfield Town, 26 December 1902
Lowest home attendance4,000 vs Manchester United, 20 April 1903

Twenty-two players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Archie Goldie was ever-present over the 35-match season, his full-back partner Harold Wassell missed only one match, and six other players made at least 30 appearances. Arthur Leonard was leading scorer with 16 goals, all of which came in the league. The 12–0 defeat of Doncaster Rovers in April equalled the club record highest win.[2]

Football League Second Division

DateLeague
position
Opponents VenueResultScore
F–A
Scorers Attendance
6 September 1902 3rdLeicester FosseH W3–1Field 2, McRoberts 6,000
13 September 1902 2ndManchester CityH W4–0Jones, McMillan, Leonard 2 12,000
20 September 1902 6thBurnleyA L1–2McMillan 3,000
27 September 1902 4thPreston North EndH W3–1Leonard, McMillan, Wigmore 10,000
4 October 1902 3rdBurslem Port ValeA D2–2McMillan, Athersmith 4,000
11 October 1902 3rdBarnsleyH W2–1Athersmith, Leonard 7,000
18 October 1902 5thGainsborough TrinityA L0–1 3,000
25 October 1902 4thBurton UnitedH W2–0Field, Athersmith 5,000
1 November 1902 5thBristol CityA D1–1McRoberts 12,000
8 November 1902 4thGlossopH W3–2McRoberts 2, Beer 5,000
15 November 1902 3rdManchester UnitedA W1–0Beer 24,000
22 November 1902 2ndStockport CountyH W2–0Beer, McRoberts 5,000
29 November 1902 1stBlackpoolA W1–0Leonard 3,000
6 December 1902 1stWoolwich ArsenalH W2–0Leonard, Wigmore 10,000
13 December 1902 2ndDoncaster RoversA L0–2 3,000
20 December 1902 2ndLincoln CityH W3–1Harrison 2, Leonard 7,000
26 December 1902 2ndChesterfield TownH W2–1Athersmith, Beer 13,000
27 December 1902 2ndChesterfield TownA D1–1McRoberts 6,000
3 January 1903 2ndLeicester FosseH W4–3Leonard 2, Field, McRoberts 6,000
17 January 1903 2ndBurnleyH W3–0Leonard, Field, Athersmith 7,000
24 January 1903 2ndPreston North EndA L1–2Beer 7,000
31 January 1903 2ndBurslem Port ValeH W5–1McRoberts, Jones, Beer, Windridge 2 6,000
14 February 1903 2ndGainsborough TrinityH W1–0McRoberts 7,000
21 February 1903 2ndBurton UnitedA W1–0McRoberts 3,000
23 February 1903 2ndManchester CityA L0–4 20,000
28 February 1903 2ndBristol CityH W2–0Windridge 2 12,000
7 March 1903 2ndGlossopA W1–0Windridge 2,000
21 March 1903 2ndStockport CountyA W2–1McRoberts, Harrison 4,000
28 March 1903 2ndBlackpoolH W5–1Wilcox 2, McRoberts, Beer pen, Wolstenholme og 7,000
4 April 1903 2ndWoolwich ArsenalA L1–6McRoberts 15,000
10 April 1903 2ndLincoln CityA W1–0Leonard 6,000
11 April 1903 2ndDoncaster RoversH W12–0Leonard 4, Wilcox 4, Athersmith, Field, McRoberts, Dougherty 8,000
13 April 1903 2ndBarnsleyA L0–3 5,000
20 April 1903 2ndManchester UnitedH W2–1Leonard, Wilcox 4,000

League table (part)

Final Second Division table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GA Pts
1st Manchester City34254595293.2854
2nd Small Heath34243774362.0651
3rd Woolwich Arsenal34208666302.2048
4th Bristol City34178959381.5542
5th Manchester United341581153381.4038
Key Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played;
W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;
F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points
Source [3]

FA Cup

Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round 7 February 1903Derby CountyA L1–2Windridge 15,000

Appearances and goals

Players having played at least one first-team match
Name Position Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
League FA Cup Total
Nat Robinson Goalkeeper29010300
Jack Dorrington Goalkeeper500050
Archie Goldie Full back34010350
Harold Wassell Full back33010340
Billy Beer Half back33700337
Jim Dougherty Half back31110321
Ambrose Hartwell Half back600060
Harry Howard Half back400040
Walter Wigmore Half back26210272
Charlie Athersmith Forward30610316
Oakey Field Forward17610186
Arthur Harrison Forward430043
John Hirons Forward300030
Billy Jones Forward14210152
Arthur Leonard Forward3216103316
John McMillan Forward12400124
Bob McRoberts Forward3114103214
Thomas Thompson Forward100010
Charlie Tickle Forward200020
Sid Wharton Forward14000140
Freddie Wilcox Forward670067
Jimmy Windridge Forward751186

References

General

  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Breedon Books (Derby). ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. DB Publishing (Derby). ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2.
  • Source for match dates and results: "Birmingham City 1902–1903: Results". Statto Organisation. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 250–51. Note that attendance figures are estimated.
  • Source for kit: "Birmingham City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.

Specific

  1. "Birmingham Senior Cup". The Birmingham City FC Archive. Tony Jordan. Archived from the original on 14 May 2005.
  2. "Birmingham City: Records" Archived 9 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  3. "Birmingham City 1902–1903: English Division Two (old) Table" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
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