During the 2002–03 English football season, Newcastle United participated in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Barclaycard Premiership for sponsorship reasons).
Season summary After a slow start, the club began putting together the wins and, by the end of March, were in a three-way title race with Manchester United and Arsenal. Consecutive defeats to a resurgent Everton and a 6–2 home thrashing by Alex Ferguson's side killed off Newcastle's title hopes, but Bobby Robson and his team was able to brush off the challenge from Chelsea to finish third in the Premier League, entering the qualification rounds for the Champions League in the 2003–04 season.]
The 2002–03 season was a particularly colourful one for Newcastle on the European stage. In the first group stage, Newcastle lost their first three matches in a row, then, in an astonishing reversal, shocked Italian giants Juventus 1–0 at St James' Park. They then controversially beat Dynamo Kyiv 2–1 in Newcastle before winning the crucial last match, away to Feyenoord, 3–2 in injury time, with striker Craig Bellamy scoring the injury time winner. With Dynamo Kyiv losing at home to Juventus, Newcastle progressed to the second round, in a 'group of death' with Internazionale, Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen.
Bellamy was sent off for lashing out at Inter defender Marco Materazzi in an off-the-ball incident during the opening minutes of the match. Bellamy was punished further by a three-match ban. Compounding the disaster for Newcastle was the suspension of influential captain Alan Shearer for a similar incident, although the punishment was just a two-match ban. Newcastle went on to lose 1–4 at home.
Shearer returned in the fourth game in the four-team group, scoring all three goals in a 3–1 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen at home. Despite a superb performance against Inter in the famous San Siro, only to draw 2–2, Newcastle lost at home 2–0 to Barcelona and dropped out of the Champions League.
Final league table
Team kit The team kit for the 2002–03 season was produced by Adidas and the main shirt sponsor was NTL.
Transfers In Date Pos. Name From Fee 20 June 2002 MF Hugo Viana Sporting CP £8,500,000 12 July 2002 DF Titus Bramble Ipswich Town £5,000,000 13 February 2003 DF Jonathan Woodgate Leeds United £9,000,000 25 March 2003 FW Darren Ambrose Ipswich Town £1,000,000
Total spending: £23.5m
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee April 2002 GK Jonny Brain Unattached Free April 2002 DF Ryan McGuffie Gretna Free 27 May 2002 MF Mark Boyd Port Vale Free April 2002 FW Colin McMenamin Livingston Free 3 July 2002 DF James Coppinger Exeter City Released 30 August 2002 DF David Cowan Motherwell Free February 2003 MF Stuart Green Hull City £150,000 January 2003 MF Tommy English Livingston Released January 2003 MF Neale McDermott Fulham Free January 2003 MF Christian Bassedas Newell's Old Boys Released March 2003 GK John Karelse AGOVV Apeldoorn Free March 2003 MF Joe Kendrick 1860 Munich Free January 2003 MF Damon Robson Unattached Free
Total spending: £150,000
Players First-team squad Squad at end of seasonNewcastle United squad 2002-2003. FootballSquads. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
Left club during season
Reserve squad The following players did not appear for the first-team this season.
Trialists
Coaching staff
Appearances, goals and cards (Starting appearances + substitute appearances). worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 August 2013Newcastlre United domestic appearances 2002/03. nufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2013.Newcastle United goal scorers 2002/03. nufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2013Season Details : 2002–03 FA Barclaycard Premiership, Final standings. toon1892.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2013 No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupChampions LeagueTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Shay Given3801000120510003DF Robbie Elliott0+2000100+101+30004MF Nolberto Solano29+27100+1010+2140+58105DF Andy O'Brien260100011+1038+10106MF Clarence Acuña2+201010004+20007MF Jermaine Jenas23+9611008031+97108MF Kieron Dyer33+22001211+1245+36109FW Alan Shearer3517110012748258010FW Craig Bellamy27+2710006234+293111MF Gary Speed23+12000012135+135012DF Andy Griffin22+51101011135+527113GK Steve Harper00001020300014DF Wayne Quinn0000000+100+100016FW Carl Cort0+1000100+101+200017MF Darren Ambrose0+100000000+100018DF Aaron Hughes351100011+1047+112019DF Titus Bramble13+3000008021+304020FW Lomana LuaLua5+620+10105+4211+1143022MF Jamie McClen0+100000000+100023FW Shola Ameobi8+2050+10004+6312+2784025MF Brian Kerr4+4000001+105+500027DF Jonathan Woodgate1000000001001028FW Michael Chopra0+10000+100+200+400030DF Steven Caldwell12+2100101+1014+311132MF Laurent Robert25+25100+109+2035+553134DF Nikos Dabizas13+300+10107+1021+506135DF Olivier Bernard24+6210108+2034+827045MF Hugo Viana11+12200105+5217+17450
Matches
Pre-season
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
League Cup
References
External links FootballSquads - Newcastle United - 2002/03