The 1902–1903 season was Manchester City F.C.'s twelfth season of league football and first season back in the Second Division of the Football League following relegation. Determined to return to Division One, City finished the season at the top of the league, with a 25–5–4 record, gaining its second minor league trophy.

During the season, Manchester City set a league record with 95 goals, 30 of which were scored by Billie Gillespie and 22 of which were scored by Billy Meredith. It was also their best defensive record in the Football League, conceding only 29 goals over 34 matches.City tied the club record for fewest away defeats (4), previously set during the 1898–1899 season.

Football League Second Division

Results summary

Reports

DateOpponentsH / AVenueResult F – AScorersAttendance 6 September 1902 Lincoln City H Hyde Road 3 – 1 McOustra (2), Bevan 16,000 13 September 1902 Small Heath A Muntz Street 0 – 4 12,000 20 September 1902 Leicester Fosse H Hyde Road 3 – 1 Meredith, Gillespie, ? (o.g.) 12,000 27 September 1902 Chesterfield Town A Recreation Ground 1 – 0 Meredith 15,000 4 October 1902 Burnley A Turf Moor 1 – 1 Miller 4,000 11 October 1902 Preston North End H Hyde Road 1 – 0 Gillespie 16,000 18 October 1902 Burslem Port Vale A Athletic Ground 4 – 1 Gillespie (2), Meredith, Drummond 5,000 22 October 1902 Gainsborough Trinity A The Northolme 3 – 0 Gillespie (2), Miller 4,000 25 October 1902 Barnsley H Hyde Road Abandoned5 – 0 Meredith, Gillespie, Drummond, Threlfall, ? (o.g.) 16,000 1 November 1902 Woolwich Arsenal A Manor Ground 0 – 1 11,000 8 November 1902 Burton United H Hyde Road 2 – 0 Gillespie, McOustra 13,000 15 November 1902 Bristol City A St John's Lane 2 – 3 Turnbull, Drummond 13,000 22 November 1902 Glossop H Hyde Road 5 – 2 Gillespie (3), Turnbull, ? (o.g.) 8,000 24 November 1902 Barnsley H Hyde Road 3 – 2 Gillespie (2), Meredith 8,000 6 December 1902 Stockport County H Hyde Road 5 – 0 Meredith (2), Turnbull (2), Gillespie 12,000 13 December 1902 Blackpool A Bloomfield Road 3 – 0 Meredith, Turnbull, Gillespie 5,000 20 December 1902 Woolwich Arsenal H Hyde Road 4 – 1 Gillespie (3), Turnbull 25,000 25 December 1902 Manchester United A Bank Street 1 – 1 Bannister 40,000 26 December 1902 Preston North End A Deepdale 2 – 0 Gillespie, Drummond 10,000 27 December 1902 Doncaster Rovers A Intake Ground 2 – 1 Hynds, Gillespie 30,000 1 January 1903 Doncaster Rovers H Hyde Road 4 – 1 Bannister (2), Meredith, Turnbull 25,000 3 January 1903 Lincoln City A Sincil Bank 0 – 1 6,000 10 January 1903 Small Heath H Hyde Road Abandoned after 40 minutes0 – 0 35,000 17 January 1903 Leicester Fosse A Filbert Street 1 – 1 Threlfall 7,000 24 January 1903 Chesterfield Town H Hyde Road 4 – 2 Meredith (3), Turnbull 15,000 31 January 1903 Burnley H Hyde Road 6 – 0 Meredith (2), Gillespie (2), Threlfall, Bannister 16,000 14 February 1903 Burslem Port Vale H Hyde Road 7 – 1 Bannister (2), Gillespie (2), Turnbull, Meredith, McOustra 12,000 23 February 1903 Small Heath H Hyde Road 4 – 0 Meredith (2), Gillespie, Threlfall 20,000 28 February 1903 Gainsborough Trinity H Hyde Road 9 – 0 Bannister (3), Gillespie (2), Turnbull (2), Meredith, Threlfall 15,000 7 March 1903 Burton United A Peel Croft 5 – 0 Bannister (2), Gillespie (2), Meredith 5,000 14 March 1903 Bristol City H Hyde Road 2 – 2 Meredith, Threlfall 20,000 21 March 1903 Glossop A North Road 1 – 0 Bannister 7,000 4 April 1903 Stockport County A Edgeley Park 2 – 0 Gillespie, Turnbull 10,000 10 April 1903 Manchester United H Hyde Road 0 – 2 30,000 11 April 1903 Blackpool H Hyde Road 2 – 0 Meredith (2) 8,000 14 April 1903 Barnsley A Oakwell 3 – 0 Meredith, Bannister, Gillespie 5,000

FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AVenueResult F – AScorersAttendance 7 February 1903 First round Preston North End A Deepdale 1 – 3 Turnbull 8,000

Squad statistics

Squad Appearances for competitive matches only Pos.NameLeagueFA CupAbandonedTotalAppearancesGoalsAppearancesGoalsAppearancesGoals AppearancesGoalsGKJohn Edmondson30000030GK Jack Hillman3101020340DF Tommy Hynds3101020340FW Jimmy Bannister2101010230FW Frank Booth90000090FW Billie Gillespie3201020350FW Billy Meredith3401020370FW John Miller80001090FW Sandy Turnbull2201010240--Fred Bevan60100070--Robert Davidson2600020280--R. Dearden30000030--Jimmy Drummond1400010150--Sammy Frost3001010320--Billy Holmes1101000120--Jamie Hosie30000030--McMahon1700010180-- Willie McOustra3200020340--Bobby Moffatt10001020--Willie Orr1301010150--Percy Slater20000020--Fred Threlfall2501020280

Scorers

All (incl. abandoned) ScorerGoals Billie Gillespie30 Billy Meredith22 Jimmy Bannister13 Sandy TurnbullFred Threlfall5 Willie McOustra4Jimmy Drummond3 John Miller2Fred Bevan1 Tommy Hynds

League ScorerGoals Billie Gillespie29 Billy Meredith21 Jimmy Bannister13 Sandy Turnbull12 Willie McOustra4Fred ThrelfallJimmy Drummond2 John MillerFred Bevan1 Tommy Hynds

FA Cup ScorerGoals Sandy Turnbull1

Abandoned ScorerGoalsJimmy Drummond1 Billie Gillespie Billy MeredithFred Threlfall

See also Manchester City F.C. seasons

References

External links Extensive Manchester City statistics site