The 2002–03 season was Colchester United's 61st season in their history and their fifth successive season in the third tier of English football, the Second Division. Alongside competing in the Second Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
After a first round FA Cup exit to Conference side Chester City and a seven-game winless run, manager Steve Whitton left the club by mutual consent, with Phil Parkinson appointed in his first ever managerial role. He led the club from the relegation zone to a 12th-place finish, their highest position for 23 years.
Season overview Following consecutive seasons of gradual improvement under Steve Whitton, the club found themselves in the relegation zone following a run of seven games without a win and a first round FA Cup exit to non-League Chester City. He left the club by mutual consent in January as former player Geraint Williams stepped up as caretaker manager while putting his name forward for the permanent role. However, with his many contacts at FA board level, chairman Peter Heard made a surprise appointment of Reading's player-coach Phil Parkinson.
Parkinson helped turn around the club's fortunes, lifting them from the relegation zone to 12th place, their best finish for 23 years.
In the League Cup, Colchester were eliminated by Coventry City in the first round, while Cheltenham Town defeated the U's in the first round of the Football League Trophy.
Away from the pitch, following the collapse of ITV Digital which had promised clubs greater television rights finances, a number of clubs found themselves entering administration or suffering lasting financial difficulty as a result of spending the money on players and resources before any had been received. Prudently, Peter Heard had never budgeted more than the club could afford and as such Colchester United were largely unaffected by the collapse.
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee Goalkeepers1Simon BrownGKChelmsford850 Tottenham Hotspur20 July 1999Free transfer31Richard McKinneyGKBallymoney00 Swindon Town10 August 2002Free transfer32Dean GerkenGKSouthend-on-Sea00Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer Defenders2Joe DunneFBDublin1887 Dover Athletic7 December 1999Nominal3Joe KeithFBPlaistow12610 West Ham United24 May 1999Free transfer5Scott FitzgeraldCB Westminster740 Millwall19 October 2000Free transfer8Mark WarrenCBLower Clapton00 Notts County6 August 2002Free transfer19Alan WhiteCBDarlington773 Luton Town16 July 2000Free transfer24Pat BaldwinCBCity of London00 Chelsea16 August 2002Free transfer25Sam StockleyFBTiverton111 Oxford United31 October 2002Free transfer27Greg HalfordFB/MFChelmsford00Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer29Mike EdwardsCBHessle00 Hull City27 March 2003Free transfer Midfielders4Gavin JohnsonMFEye933 Dunfermline Athletic14 November 1999Free transfer6Thomas PinaultMFGrasse581 AS Cannes1 July 1999Free transfer7Karl DuguidMFLetchworth23934Youth team9 December 1995Free transfer10Kemal IzzetMFWhitechapel516 Charlton Athletic13 April 2001Free transfer14Chris KeebleMFColchester252 Ipswich Town23 March 2000Free transfer16Marc CanhamMF Wegberg10Youth team1 August 2001Free transfer17Bobby BowryMF Hampstead411 Millwall25 July 2001Free transfer20Mick StockwellMFChelmsford10422 Ipswich Town23 July 2000Free transferMatt HearnMFBarking00Youth team1 July 2000Free transferCraig JohnstonMF00Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer Forwards9Scott McGleishFWChipping Barnet9027 Barnet12 January 2001£15,00011Dean MorganFW Edmonton380Youth team1 August 2000Free transfer12Kevin RapleyFWReading409 Notts County1 August 2001Free transfer15Adrian CooteFW Great Yarmouth194 Norwich City21 December 2001£50,00021Mvondo AtanganaFWYaoundé00 Dundee United8 November 2002Undisclosed27Ben CranfieldFWIpswich00Youth team1 August 2001Free transferTristan ToneyFW00Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.1 July 2002MFCraig JohnstonYouth teamFree transfer1 July 2002FWTristan ToneyYouth teamFree transfer29 July 2002CBDanny Steele MillwallFree transfer1 August 2002GKDean GerkenYouth teamFree transfer1 August 2002FB/MFGreg HalfordYouth teamFree transfer6 August 2002CBMark Warren Notts CountyFree transfer10 August 2002GKRichard McKinney Swindon TownFree transfer16 August 2002CBPat Baldwin ChelseaFree transfer31 October 2002FBSam Stockley Oxford UnitedFree transfer8 November 2002FWMvondo Atangana Dundee UnitedUndisclosed27 March 2003CBMike Edwards Hull CityFree transfer Total spending: ~ £0
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.31 May 2002CBCon Blatsis KocaelisporFree transfer30 June 2002DF/MFAnthony Allman WokingReleased1 August 2002MFDavid Gregory Canvey IslandReleased12 August 2002CBRoss Johnson Dagenham & RedbridgeReleased1 October 2002FBDavid Hadrava Heybridge SwiftsReleased14 October 2002FWTriston Chambers Dagenham & RedbridgeReleased25 October 2002GKGlenn WilliamsonFree agentReleased15 November 2002FWLloyd Opara Cambridge UnitedFree transfer3 December 2002CBDanny Steele Fisher AthleticReleased Total incoming: ~ £0
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.15 August 2002MFLeke Odunsi Millwall1 November 200231 August 2002FBSam Stockley Oxford United30 October 200222 October 2002FWJustin Richards Bristol Rovers10 December 200223 January 2003FWGareth Williams Crystal Palace19 March 200324 January 2003CBLiam Chilvers Arsenal31 May 200310 March 2003MFJohnnie Jackson Tottenham Hotspur4 May 200327 March 2003FWBen May Millwall4 May 2003
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.5 September 2002FWTriston Chambers Harlow Town5 October 200215 October 2002FWLloyd Opara Cambridge United14 November 200221 October 2002FWAdrian Coote Bristol Rovers9 February 2003
Match details
Second Division
League table
Results round by round
Matches
Football League Cup
Football League Trophy
FA Cup
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total13FBJoe Keith900099FWScott McGleish80019310MFKemal Izzet80008411FWDean Morgan6000623FWGareth Williams6000666MFThomas Pinault4000477MFKarl Duguid30003812FWKevin Rapley2000220MFMick Stockwell200021017MFBobby Bowry1000125FBSam Stockley10001Own goals20002TOTALS5200153
Disciplinary record
Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total19CBAlan White1320000001328CBMark Warren52000000527MFKarl Duguid410000004110MFKemal Izzet500000005012FWKevin Rapley110000102122CBDanny Steele110000001124CBPat Baldwin300010004031GKRichard McKinney10000001116MFThomas Pinault300000003017MFBobby Bowry300000003025FBSam Stockley30000000305CBScott Fitzgerald20000000209FWScott McGleish200000002018CBLiam Chilvers20000000203FBJoe Keith00000010104MFGavin Johnson100000001015FWAdrian Coote100000001018FWJustin Richards100000001020MFMick Stockwell100000001023MFLeke Odunsi100000001026MFJohnnie Jackson100000001028FWBen May100000001029CBMike Edwards1000000010TOTALS567001021598
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Number Nationality Player Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total131Richard McKinney9000921Simon Brown30003TOTALS1200012
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Number Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes8CBMark Warren10 August 2002Stockport CountyLayer Road31GKRichard McKinney10 August 2002Stockport CountyLayer Road22CBDanny Steele24 August 2002BrentfordLayer Road23MFLeke Odunsi26 August 2002Peterborough UnitedLondon Road Stadium25FBSam Stockley7 September 2002Cheltenham TownLayer Road24CBPat Baldwin11 September 2002Coventry CityHighfield Road18FWJustin Richards22 October 2002Cheltenham TownWhaddon Road25FBSam Stockley9 November 2002Bristol CityLayer Road21FWMvondo Atangana16 November 2002Chester CityLayer Road18CBLiam Chilvers25 January 2003BlackpoolLayer Road23FWGareth Williams25 January 2003BlackpoolLayer Road26MFJohnnie Jackson11 March 2003BrentfordGriffin Park28FWBen May29 March 2003Swindon TownLayer Road29CBMike Edwards5 April 2003Plymouth ArgyleHome Park27FB/MFGreg Halford21 April 2003Luton TownLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific