The 2002–03 season was Southampton F.C.'s 11th season in the Premier League, and their 25th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

Season summary After several seasons of underachievement, Southampton recorded a final placing of 8th, at the time their highest placing in the Premier League. The club also reached the FA Cup final to face an Arsenal side which had narrowly missed out on the Premiership trophy; although Southampton lost by a single goal, as Arsenal had already qualified for the Champions League Southampton qualified for the UEFA Cup the following season.

A slow start to the season saw Southampton languishing in the relegation zone after eight matches played, but a run of eight wins and only two losses from the next fifteen matches saw Southampton rocket up the league table, peaking in fifth place. Unfortunately, the charge for European qualification through the league soon fizzled out as Southampton only won four of their last fifteen matches, dragging them down to eighth place – nonetheless, this was Southampton's highest-ever finish in the Premier League. The low point of this run was a 6–1 loss against a below-strength Arsenal side preparing for the FA Cup final. This did not bode well for the Saints, as they had also managed to reach the final, but as it transpired in the final Arsenal barely edged past Southampton, winning 1–0. Despite the disappointment of not winning the FA Cup, Southampton were rewarded with their cup run with a place in the UEFA Cup, as Arsenal had already qualified for the Champions League.

Key to Southampton's high finish was good home form – Southampton only lost two home games all season, against Manchester United and Liverpool. The good season gave Southampton hope of a more sustained charge at European qualification the next season.

Premier League

DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition17 August 2002MiddlesbroughH0–028,3419th24 August 2002LiverpoolA0–343,05815th28 August 2002ChelseaH1–1Fernandes 51'31,20816th31 August 2002Tottenham HotspurA1–2Taricco 30' (o.g.)35,57318th11 September 2002EvertonH1–0Pahars 73' (pen.)29,19017th14 September 2002West Bromwich AlbionA0–126,38317th21 September 2002Charlton AthleticH0–025,71418th28 September 2002Bolton WanderersA1–1Bridge 82'22,69218th5 October 2002Manchester CityH2–0Ormerod 2', 43'31,00913th21 October 2002Aston VillaA1–0Beattie 48' (pen.)25,81712th27 October 2002FulhamH4–2Beattie 27' (pen.), 42', 53', Ormerod 72'26,18810th2 November 2002Manchester UnitedA1–2Fernandes 18'67,69110th9 November 2002Blackburn RoversH1–1Beattie 38' (pen.)30,05910th16 November 2002Newcastle UnitedA1–2Beattie 2'51,81211th23 November 2002ArsenalH3–2Beattie 45', 59' (pen.), Delgado 67'31,7979th2 December 2002West Ham UnitedA1–0Beattie 90'28,84410th7 December 2002Birmingham CityH2–0Beattie 60' (pen.), 83'31,1327th14 December 2002Newcastle UnitedH1–1Marsden 52'32,0617th21 December 2002Leeds UnitedA1–1Fernandes 89'36,6877th26 December 2002ChelseaA0–039,4289th28 December 2002SunderlandH2–1Beattie 73', Tessem 90'31,4237th1 January 2003Tottenham HotspurH1–0Beattie 82'31,8906th11 January 2003MiddlesbroughA2–2Beattie 40', 60'27,4435th18 January 2003LiverpoolH0–132,1048th28 January 2003SunderlandA1–0Beattie 50'34,1026th1 February 2003Manchester UnitedH0–232,0857th8 February 2003Blackburn RoversA0–124,8969th22 February 2003EvertonA1–2Beattie 33'36,56910th1 March 2003West Bromwich AlbionH1–0Beattie 8'31,91510th15 March 2003FulhamA2–2Beattie 81', M. Svensson 90'18,0319th22 March 2003Aston VillaH2–2Beattie 40', Kevin Davies 90'31,8889th5 April 2003West Ham UnitedH1–1Beattie 44'31,94111th19 April 2003Leeds UnitedH3–2Ormerod 32', Beattie 45', A. Svensson 53'32,0328th21 April 2003Birmingham CityA2–3A. Svensson 26', Ormerod 77'29,1159th26 April 2003Charlton AthleticA1–2Beattie 90'25,89410th3 May 2003Bolton WanderersH0–030,95111th7 May 2003ArsenalA1–6Tessem 35'38,05211th11 May 2003Manchester CityA1–0M. Svensson 34'34,9578th

FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF – AScorersAttendance4 January 2003Round 3Tottenham HotspurH4–0M. Svensson 13', Tessem 50', A. Svensson 56', Beattie 80'25,58925 January 2003Round 4MillwallH1–1Davies 90'23,8095 February 2003Round 4ReplayMillwallA2–1 Oakley 21', 102'10,19715 February 2003Round 5Norwich CityH2–0A. Svensson 71', Tessem 74'31,1039 March 2003Round 6Wolverhampton WanderersH2–0Marsden 56', Butler 81' (o.g.)31,71513 April 2003Semi-finalWatfordN2–1Ormerod 43', Robinson 80' (o.g.)42,60217 May 2003FinalArsenalN0–173,726

League Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF – AScorersAttendance2 October 2002Round 2Tranmere RoversH6–1Marsden 1', Ormerod 25', 43', 68', Fernandes 52', M. Svensson 66'16,6036 November 2002Round 3LiverpoolA1–3Delgado 55'35,870

Squad statistics No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Paul Jones13+101+100014+20002DF Jason Dodd13+201+102016+30103DF Wayne Bridge3414020401604MF Chris Marsden3016+112138+131105DF Claus Lundekvam3306020410006DF Paul Williams10+20100011+20317MF Andrei Kanchelskis0+10000+100+20008MF Matthew Oakley28+307220402209FW James Beattie35+323712044+3246010FW Kevin Davies1+810+41001+1220011DF Michael Svensson33+12712142+145112MF Anders Svensson26+726+121033+843013GK Neil Moss000000000014GK Antti Niemi25060203300015DF Francis Benali202000401016MF Mark Draper000000000017FW Marian Pahars5+41000+105+512118MF Rory Delap22+203+101+1026+402019DF Danny Higginbotham3+60100010000DF Marcus Hall000000000020MF David Prutton9+3000009+3020MF Tahar El Khalej0+100000100021FW Jo Tessem9+1822+520+1011+2440022MF Federico Arias000000000023MF Arron Davies000000000025DF Garry Monk100000100026MF Imants Bleidelis000000000027GK Scott Bevan000000000028GK Alan Blayney000000000029MF Fabrice Fernandes35+235+201141+444030FW Scott McDonald000000000032DF Chris Baird1+201000401033DF Paul Telfer26+60601033+604034FW Agustín Delgado2+4100113+420035MF Cléber Chalá000000000036FW Brett Ormerod22+955+211328+11940

Transfers

In DatePos.NameFromFee27 August 2002GK Antti Niemi Heart of Midlothian£2m31 August 2002DF Marcus Hall Nottingham ForestFree31 August 2002MF Andrei Kanchelskis RangersFree31 January 2003DF Danny Higginbotham Derby County£1.5m31 January 2003MF David Prutton Nottingham Forest£2.5m12 May 2003DF Darren Kenton Norwich CityFree12 May 2003FW Dexter Blackstock Oxford UnitedUndisclosed

Out Date Pos.NameToFee2 July 2002FW Dani Rodrigues WalsallFree2 July 2002DF Dan PetrescuUnattachedReleased10 December 2002DF Marcus Hall Stoke CityFree10 January 2003MF Cléber ChaláUnattachedReleased25 January 2003MF Tahar El Khalej Charlton AthleticReleased31 January 2003MF Imants Bleidelis ViborgFree5 February 2003GK Neil Moss BournemouthFree7 February 2003MF Andrei Kanchelskis Al-HilalFree22 May 2003MF Matt Crowell WrexhamFree31 May 2003FW Scott McDonaldUnattachedReleased

Loan in Date fromDate toPos.NameMoving from8 January 200323 May 2003MF Federico Arias Vélez Sársfield

Loan out Date fromDate toPos.NameMoving to3 July 200229 October 2002FW Scott McDonald Huddersfield Town10 July 20021 June 2003FW Jacinto Ela Hércules10 July 20024 April 2003GK Scott Bevan Huddersfield Town13 September 200224 December 2002GK Neil Moss Bournemouth13 September 200211 November 2002FW Kevin Davies Millwall28 October 200228 January 2003GK Alan Blayney Stockport County13 December 200219 March 2003DF Garry Monk Sheffield Wednesday25 December 200225 January 2003GK Alan Blayney Bournemouth27 March 200319 August 2003FW Scott McDonald Bournemouth

References

General

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