Huddersfield Town's 2002–03 campaign saw them relegated to the bottom division for the first time since the 1979–80 season. Huddersfield endured a dreadful season under Mick Wadsworth. That season saw Wadsworth sacked twice, but on the first attempt of him being sacked, he was re-hired because the club could not pay him off. Mel Machin took over for the last month of the season, but could not stop the Terriers relegating to the Football League Third Division. Town's main worry during the season was administration, which nearly saw the club liquidated.
Squad at the start of the season
Review Mick Wadsworth was appointed manager of the Terriers during the close season with many people predicting Town would have as good a season as the previous season, which saw them lose in the play-offs to Brentford, but Wadsworth's new 4-3-3 formation wasn't pleasing fans and players alike. During the early part of the season, Town had a run of scoring 1 goal in 6 matches. The only highlight of the early part of the season was taking Division 1 Burnley to extra time in the second round of the Worthington Cup, before losing 1–0.
Christmas and New Year also bore little joy to the Terriers and went on a run of 5 losses from 6, before a mini revival which saw them unbeaten in 5 matches, before another dip which saw them lose another 5 in 6. That saw Wadsworth lose his job in late March, which then saw Mel Machin take over as caretaker manager and after managing to draw with eventual champions Wigan Athletic, many thought that Town might survive, but bad consecutive losses to Stockport County and Port Vale saw Town go down.
Squad at the end of the season
Results Division Two DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF - AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition10 August 2002BrentfordH0 - 29,63523rd13 August 2002Plymouth ArgyleA1 - 2Thorrington 8,95321st17 August 2002Peterborough UnitedA1 - 0Mattis 5,20519th24 August 2002Crewe AlexandraH1 - 1Booth 8,46718th26 August 2002Tranmere RoversA1 - 2McDonald 7,53419th31 August 2002BlackpoolH0 - 09,50620th7 September 2002BarnsleyH1 - 0Smith 11,98917th14 September 2002Northampton TownA0 - 04,67917th17 September 2002Queens Park RangersA0 - 311,01018th21 September 2002Luton TownH0 - 19,24921st28 September 2002Oldham AthleticA0 - 47,64323rd5 October 2002Port ValeH2 - 2Smith , Baldry 9,09122nd12 October 2002Notts CountyH3 - 0Stead [15, 73], Moses 9,98419th19 October 2002Mansfield TownA2 - 0Smith [53, 61]4,99817th26 October 2002Colchester UnitedH1 - 1Stead 8,92416th29 October 2002Bristol CityA0 - 111,49417th2 November 2002Cheltenham TownA0 - 14,32219th9 November 2002Wycombe WanderersH0 - 08,69520th23 November 2002Swindon TownH2 - 3Smith , Stead 8,33422nd30 November 2002ChesterfieldA0 - 14,19423rd14 December 2002Stockport CountyH2 - 1Smith [27, 83]7,97822nd21 December 2002Wigan AthleticA0 - 16,01323rd26 December 2002Tranmere RoversH1 - 2Smith 11,00224th29 December 2002Cardiff CityA0 - 413,70324th1 January 2003BlackpoolA1 - 1Booth 7,18424th11 January 2003Peterborough UnitedH0 - 19,02224th18 January 2003Crewe AlexandraA0 - 15,81924th25 January 2003Cardiff CityH1 - 0Booth 9,46223rd4 February 2003Plymouth ArgyleH1 - 0Smith [82 (pen)]7,29424th8 February 2003Wycombe WanderersA0 - 05,88623rd15 February 2003Cheltenham TownH3 - 3Irons , Smith [56, 59]9,30923rd22 February 2003BarnsleyA1 - 0Booth 12,47421st25 February 2003BrentfordA0 - 14,36621st1 March 2003Northampton TownH2 - 0Baldry , Smith 9,66119th4 March 2003Queens Park RangersH0 - 38,69520th8 March 2003Luton TownA0 - 36,12221st15 March 2003Colchester UnitedA0 - 23,83523rd18 March 2003Mansfield TownH1 - 1Smith 8,75624th22 March 2003Bristol CityH1 - 2Smith [20 (pen)]9,46724th29 March 2003Notts CountyA2 - 3Booth , Schofield 5,87224th5 April 2003ChesterfieldH4 - 0Smith [17, 53], Stead [23, 66]9,09822nd12 April 2003Swindon TownA1 - 0Smith 4,76022nd19 April 2003Wigan AthleticH0 - 013,76922nd21 April 2003Stockport CountyA1 - 2Booth 7,15922nd26 April 2003Port ValeA1 - 5Gavin 5,92522nd3 May 2003Oldham AthleticH1 - 1Schofield 11,27122nd
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF - AScorersAttendance16 November 2002Round 1Swindon TownA0 - 14,210
Worthington Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF - AScorersAttendance10 September 2002Round 1DarlingtonH2 - 0Baldry , Clarke [16 (og)]3,8101 October 2002Round 2BurnleyH0 - 1 (aet, 90 mins: 0 - 0)5,887
LDV Vans Trophy DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF - AScorersAttendance22 October 2002Round 1WrexhamA1 - 2Mattis 1,350
Appearances and goals Squad No.NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupFootball League TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1Scott BevanGK3001020103402Steve JenkinsDF2601020002904Nathan ClarkeDF2 (1)00000002 (1)05Adie MosesDF4011010104316Chris HollandMF33 (1)010201037 (1)07Danny SchofieldMF25 (5)210200 (1)028 (6)28Kenny IronsMF29 (6)100100 (1)030 (7)19Andy BoothFW32 (1)600000032 (1)610John ThorringtonMF16 (15)10 (1)00 (1)01017 (17)111Simon BaldryMF14 (8)200211017 (8)312Kevin GallacherFW5 (2)00010006 (2)012Gianfranco Labarthe TomeFW0 (3)00000000 (3)013Lee AshcroftFW400000004014Jon SteadFW28 (14)610201032 (14)615Jason GavinDF10100000010115Scott McDonaldFW7 (6)1000 (1)0007 (7)117Eddie YoudsDF25000000025019Martin SmithFW35 (3)17101 (1)01038 (4)1720Thomas HearyDF14 (6)000001015 (6)022Kevin SharpDF38 (1)010201042 (1)023Jon DysonDF2 (1)00020004 (1)027Nat BrownDF36 (2)010101039 (2)028Paul ScottDF2 (11)0000 (1)0002 (12)029Jon WorthingtonMF10 (12)010000011 (12)031Paul MacariFW0 (5)0000 (1)0000 (6)033Dwayne MattisMF27 (6)1101 (1)01130 (7)235Phil SeniorGK16 (2)000000016 (2)037John McCombeDF0 (1)00000000 (1)038David MirfinDF0 (1)00000000 (1)0
References