During the 2002–03 English football season, Leicester City F.C. competed in the Football League First Division after being relegated from the FA Premier League the previous season. Despite being placed into administration, Leicester managed to regain promotion to the Premier League.

Season summary In October 2002, Leicester went into administration with debts of £30 million. Some of the reasons were the loss of TV money (ITV Digital, itself in administration, had promised money to First Division clubs for TV rights), the large wage bill, lower fees for players transferred to other clubs than expected and the £37 million cost of the new stadium. Manager Micky Adams was banned from the transfer market for most of the season, until the club was rescued by a takeover by a consortium led by former Leicester striker Gary Lineker. Adams guided Leicester to runners-up spot in Division One and automatic promotion back to the Premiership with 92 points. After several First Division clubs complained to the Football League, the Football League introduced a ruling that any club placed in administration would be deducted ten points.

Final league table

Results summary

Results by round

Results Leicester City's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 10 August 2002 WatfordH2–031,022Deane (2) 14 August 2002 Stoke CityA1–014,028Scowcroft 18 August 2002 Ipswich TownA1–627,374Stevenson 24 August 2002 ReadingH2–122,978Deane, Dickov (pen) 27 August 2002 Crystal PalaceA0–015,440 31 August 2002 GillinghamH2–030,067Lewis, Dickov 7 September 2002 WimbledonA3–22,165Benjamin, Izzet (pen), Stewart 14 September 2002 Derby CountyH3–131,049Izzet, Deane, Dickov 17 September 2002 Bradford CityH4–024,651Deane, Elliott, Dickov (pen), Scowcroft 21 September 2002 Sheffield WednesdayA0–022,219 28 September 2002 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–032,082Dickov (pen) 5 October 2002 Norwich CityA0–020,952 19 October 2002 BurnleyH0–126,254 26 October 2002 Nottingham ForestA2–229,497Deane, Dickov 29 October 2002 Coventry CityH2–127,139Taggart, Deane 2 November 2002 PortsmouthA2–019,107Scowcroft, Elliott 9 November 2002 WalsallH2–025,243Heath, Scowcroft 16 November 2002 MillwallA2–210,772Heath, Stewart 23 November 2002 Rotherham UnitedH2–131,714Dickov, Stewart 26 November 2002 Preston North EndA0–213,048 30 November 2002 Grimsby TownA2–17,310Scowcroft, Izzet 7 December 2002 Sheffield UnitedH0–026,718 14 December 2002 MillwallH4–131,904Scowcroft (2), Elliott, Dickov 20 December 2002 Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–06,592Deane 26 December 2002 Ipswich TownH1–231,426Dickov (pen) 28 December 2002 WatfordA2–116,017Elliott, Deane 11 January 2003 Stoke CityH0–025,038 18 January 2003 GillinghamA2–38,609Sinclair, Wright 28 January 2003 ReadingA3–117,156Dickov (2, 1 pen), Heath 1 February 2003 Crystal PalaceH1–027,005Dickov 8 February 2003 WalsallA4–18,741Dickov, Scowcroft (2), Elliott 17 February 2003 PortsmouthH1–131,775Benjamin 22 February 2003 WimbledonH4–031,438Dickov (3, 2 pens), Benjamin 1 March 2003 Derby CountyA1–124,307Deane 4 March 2003 Bradford CityA0–011,531 8 March 2003 Sheffield WednesdayH1–127,463McLaren (own goal) 15 March 2003 Preston North EndH2–130,713Deane (2) 18 March 2003 BurnleyA2–114,554Dickov, Benjamin 22 March 2003 Coventry CityA2–116,610McKinlay, Scowcroft 5 April 2003 Grimsby TownH2–031,014Benjamin, Davidson 8 April 2003 Nottingham ForestH1–032,065Wright 12 April 2003 Rotherham UnitedA1–19,888Benjamin 19 April 2003 Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–031,909Izzet, Stewart 21 April 2003 Sheffield UnitedA1–221,277Deane 27 April 2003 Norwich CityH1–131,639Benjamin 4 May 2003 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–128,190Benjamin (pen)

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR34 January 2003 Bristol CityH2–025,868Elliott, DickovR425 January 2003 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–428,164Dickov (pen)

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR110 September 2002 Hull CityA4–2 7,061Rogers (2), Dickov, ScowcroftR22 October 2002 Sheffield WednesdayA2–1 10,472Izzet, BenjaminR35 November 2002 Manchester UnitedA0–247,848

Squad

Left club during season

Transfers

In DatePosNameFromFee8 August 2002MF Nicky SummerbeeNottingham ForestFree transfer8 August 2002MF Billy McKinlayClydebankFree transfer

Out DatePosNameToFee30 July 2002FW Arnar GunnlaugssonDundee UnitedFree transfer14 August 2002MF Lee MarshallWest Bromwich Albion£700,00021 August 2002FW Matt PiperSunderland£3,500,00024 September 2002MF Dennis WiseMillwallFree transfer16 October 2002FW Damien DelaneyHull City£50,000

Transfers in: £0 Transfers out: £4,250,000 Total spending: £4,250,000

References