During the 2002–03 season, Sunderland competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary Sunderland spent the entire first half of the 2002–03 Premier League season in and out of the relegation zone. The poor form that the club had ended 2001–02 with continued into this season, resulting in Peter Reid being sacked after seven years as manager following a 3–1 loss to Arsenal in October just before the international break. Three days later, despite speculation linking recently-departed Ireland manager Mick McCarthy to the job, the board made the shock decision to hire Howard Wilkinson, who had been out of club management for six years.
Despite a loss to West Ham in Wilkinson's first match in charge, Sunderland ground out a four-match unbeaten run in the games that followed, as well as gaining a surprise victory over Liverpool and a point against fellow strugglers West Brom just before Christmas. However, a truly appalling second half of the season saw Sunderland earn just one point after Christmas. Wilkinson was sacked in March and McCarthy brought in to replace him, but the change proved too little too late, with Sunderland ending the season with a staggering run of 15 consecutive defeats, and setting new records for the fewest goals scored by a top-flight club, and the lowest points total for a Premier League club since the competition began (albeit not the lowest since the introduction of three points for a win; Sunderland would, however, break that record three seasons later).
Transfers
In
Summer DatePosNameFromFee8 July 2002MF Sean Thornton Tranmere Rovers£225,000The fee was compensation agreed at an FA tribunal.15 August 2002DF Stephen Wright Liverpool£3,000,00021 August 2002MF Matt Piper Leicester City£3,500,00030 August 2002FW Tore Andre Flo Rangers£6,750,00030 August 2002FW Marcus Stewart Ipswich Town£3,250,00015 November 2002GK Mart Poom Derby CountyLoan
January DatePosNameFromFee10 January 2003GK Mart Poom Derby County£2,500,00031 January 2003DF Talal El Karkouri Paris Saint GermainLoan Out Summer DatePosNameToFee31 October 2002MF John Oster Grimsby TownLoan1 November 2002FW Michael Reddy York CityLoan7 November 2002MF Sean Thornton BlackpoolLoan22 November 2002GK Michael Ingham DarlingtonLoan January DatePosNameToFee11 January 2003FW Dene Shields Raith Rovers£60,00024 January 2003GK Michael Ingham York CityLoan30 January 2003FW Michael Reddy Sheffield WednesdayLoan12 February 2003DF Stanislav Varga CelticFree21 February 2003MF John Oster Grimsby TownLoan27 March 2003FW Keith Graydon York CityLoan Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Results
Football League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 1 October 2002 Second roundCambridge UnitedAbbey Stadium7–08,175Reyna, McCann, Arca, Flo (2), Stewart (2) 6 November 2002 Third roundArsenalHighbury3–219,059Kyle, Stewart (2) 3 December 2002 Fourth roundSheffield UnitedBramall Lane0–227,068
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 4 January 2003 Third roundBolton WanderersReebok Stadium1–110,132Phillips 14 January 2003 Third round replayBolton WanderersStadium of Light2–014,550Arca, Proctor 25 January 2003 Fourth roundBlackburn RoversEwood Park3–314,315Stewart, Proctor and Phillips 5 February 2003 Fourth round replayBlackburn RoversStadium of Light2–2 a.e.t.(won 3–0 on penalties)15,745McCann, Phillips 15 February 2003 Fifth roundWatfordStadium of Light0–126,916
FA Premier League
League table
Results per matchday
DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance17 August 2002Blackburn RoversEwood Park0–027,12224 August 2002EvertonStadium of Light0–137,69828 August 2002Leeds UnitedElland Road1–0McAteer 46'39,92931 August 2002Manchester UnitedStadium of Light1–1Flo 70'47,58610 September 2002MiddlesbroughRiverside Stadium0–332,15514 September 2002FulhamStadium of Light0–335,43221 September 2002Newcastle UnitedSt James' Park0–252,18128 September 2002Aston VillaStadium of Light1–0Bellion 70'40,4926 October 2002ArsenalHighbury1–3Craddock 83'37,90219 October 2002West Ham UnitedStadium of Light0–144,35228 October 2002Bolton WanderersReebok Stadium1–1Gray 45'23,0363 November 2002Charlton AthleticThe Valley1–1Flo 15'26,28410 November 2002Tottenham HotspurStadium of Light2–0Phillips 60', Flo 62'40,02417 November 2002LiverpoolAnfield0–043,07423 November 2002Birmingham CityStadium of Light0–138,80330 November 2002ChelseaStamford Bridge0–338,9469 December 2002Manchester CityStadium of Light0–336,51115 December 2002LiverpoolStadium of Light2–1McCann 36', Proctor 85'37,11821 December 2002West Bromwich AlbionThe Hawthorns2–2Phillips 56', 64'26,70326 December 2002Leeds UnitedStadium of Light1–2Proctor 34'44,02928 December 2002SouthamptonSt Mary's Stadium1–2Flo 77'36,2421 January 2003Manchester UnitedOld Trafford1–2Verón 4' o.g.67,60911 January 2003Blackburn RoversStadium of Light0–036,52918 January 2003EvertonGoodison Park1–2Kilbane 34'37,40928 January 2003SouthamptonStadium of Light0–134,1021 February 2003Charlton AthleticStadium of Light1–3Phillips 81' pen.36,0428 February 2003Tottenham HotspurWhite Hart Lane1–4Phillips 26'36,07522 February 2003MiddlesbroughStadium of Light1–3Phillips 56'42,1341 March 2003FulhamLoftus Road0–116,28615 March 2003Bolton WanderersStadium of Light0–242,12422 March 2003West Ham UnitedBoleyn Ground0–235,0335 April 2003ChelseaStadium of Light1–2Thornton 12'40,01112 April 2003Birmingham CitySt. Andrew's0–229,13219 April 2003West Bromwich AlbionStadium of Light1–2Stewart 70'36,02521 April 2003Manchester CityMaine Road0–334,35726 April 2003Newcastle UnitedStadium of Light0–145,0673 May 2003Aston VillaVilla Park0–136,96311 May 2003ArsenalStadium of Light0–440,188
Statistics Overview CompetitionRecord Premier League FA Cup League Cup Total
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Goal scorers PositionNationNumberNameFA Premier LeagueLeague CupFA CupTotalFW10Kevin Phillips6039FW31Marcus Stewart1416FW9Tore André Flo4206FW32Michael Proctor2024MF8Gavin McCann1113MF33Julio Arca0112DF3Micky Gray1001DF17Jody Craddock1001MF24Sean Thornton1001MF11Kevin Kilbane1001FW15David Bellion1001MF16Jason McAteer1001FW19Kevin Kyle0101MF4Claudio Reyna0101Own goal1001///Total2110839
References
Notes