1902–03 Football League

The Football League
Season 1902–03
Champions The Wednesday
Relegated Doncaster Rovers

The 1902–1903 season was the 15th season of The Football League.

Final league tables

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[1] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[2] with home and away statistics separated.

Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.

Since the goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95, and since the goal difference is a more informative piece of information for a modern reader than the goal average, the goal difference is added in this presentation after the goal average.

During the first five seasons of the league, that is until the season, 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.[2]

First Division

Football League
First Division
Season 1902–03
Champions The Wednesday (1st English title)
Relegated Bolton Wanderers
Grimsby Town
FA Cup winners Bury (2nd FA Cup title)
Matches played 306
Goals scored 885 (2.89 per match)
Top goalscorer Sam Raybould (Liverpool), 31
Biggest home win Liverpool – Grimsby Town 9–2 (6 Dec 1902)
Aston Villa – Newcastle 7–0 (29 Nov 1902)
Biggest away win Nottingham Forest – The Wednesday 1–4 (1 Nov 1902)
Highest scoring Liverpool – Grimsby Town 9–2 (6 Dec 1902)
Longest winning run 6 matches
West Bromwich Albion (18 Oct 1902 – 22 Nov 1902)
Longest unbeaten run 13 matches
Sunderland (29 Nov 1902 – 14 Mar 1903)
Longest losing run 10 matches
Bolton Wanderers (18 Oct 1902 – 22 Nov 1902)
Highest attendance 50,000
Aston Villa -West Bromwich Albion (1 Nov 1902)
Lowest attendance 500
Derby County -Grimsby Town F.C. (22 Apr 1903)
Average attendance 11,656
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1The Wednesday341232317719232954361.500+1842
2Aston Villa3411334318809182261401.525+2141
3Sunderland3410522711647242551361.417+1541
4Sheffield United3411063622656222258441.318+1439
5Liverpool34113348216110202868491.388+1938
6Stoke3411242911458172746381.211+837
7West Bromwich Albion3410253727629172654531.019+136
8Bury34141241142213132954431.256+1135
9Derby County34132234113113163650471.064+335
10Nottingham Forest3410343322449162549471.043+235
11Wolverhampton Wanderers34122334172312144048570.842–933
12Everton34102528183410172945470.957–232
13Middlesbrough34103427164112143441500.820–932
14Newcastle United34121431112312104041510.804–1032
15Notts County3485425164211163341490.837–831
16Blackburn Rovers3492627243311173944630.698–1929
17Grimsby Town3465628222411154043620.694–1925
18Bolton Wanderers3462918202114195337730.507–3619

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
League Champions
FA Cup Winners
Relegated

Results

Home ╲ Away AST BLB BOLBRYDEREVEGRILIVMIDNEWNOTNTCSHUSTKSUNWEDWBAWOL
Aston Villa 5–0 4–2 2–2 0–0 2–1 2–2 1–2 5–0 7–0 3–1 2–1 4–2 2–0 0–1 1–0 0–3 3–1
Blackburn Rovers 0–2 4–2 0–3 2–4 3–2 2–0 3–1 0–1 3–1 2–2 1–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–1 1–0 1–0
Bolton Wanderers 0–1 1–2 1–0 2–0 1–3 0–1 1–1 2–1 0–2 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–3 2–0 0–2 0–1 4–1
Bury 0–1 1–1 3–0 1–0 4–2 2–1 3–1 3–1 1–0 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 4–0 1–2 4–0
Derby County 2–0 1–0 5–0 2–0 0–1 2–2 2–1 3–2 0–0 0–1 4–1 1–0 2–0 5–2 1–0 1–0 3–1
Everton 0–1 0–3 3–1 3–0 2–1 4–2 3–1 3–0 0–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–3 1–1 3–1 2–1
Grimsby Town 0–2 4–1 1–1 2–1 4–1 0–0 3–1 2–2 1–0 0–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–4 0–1 4–0 1–2
Liverpool 2–1 5–2 5–1 2–0 3–1 0–0 9–2 5–0 3–0 2–1 0–2 2–4 1–1 1–1 4–2 0–2 4–1
Middlesbrough 1–2 4–0 4–3 1–1 3–1 1–0 2–0 0–2 1–0 2–0 2–1 0–2 1–1 0–1 2–1 1–1 2–0
Newcastle United 2–0 1–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 3–0 1–0 1–2 0–1 0–2 6–1 0–0 5–0 1–0 3–0 1–0 2–4
Nottingham Forest 2–0 2–0 1–2 3–0 2–3 2–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 3–2 0–0 2–2 1–3 5–2 1–4 3–1 2–0
Notts County 2–1 4–0 1–3 1–0 2–1 2–0 0–1 1–2 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–0 0–0 0–3 3–1 0–0
Sheffield United 2–4 2–1 7–1 1–0 3–2 0–2 3–0 2–0 1–3 2–1 2–0 3–0 1–3 1–0 2–3 1–2 3–0
Stoke City 1–0 0–2 2–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 0–2 5–0 3–2 0–2 0–1 1–1 4–0 3–0 3–0
Sunderland 1–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–0 2–1 5–1 2–1 2–1 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 3–0
The Wednesday 4–0 0–0 3–0 2–0 0–1 4–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 3–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–0 1–0 3–1 1–1
West Bromwich Albion 1–2 5–3 2–1 1–3 3–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 1–0 6–1 2–0 3–2 3–3 2–1 0–3 2–3 2–2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 2–0 3–1 3–2 3–0 1–1 3–0 0–2 2–0 3–0 2–1 2–0 1–3 1–0 3–3 2–1 1–2

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

Second Division

Football League
Second Division
Season 1902–03
Champions Manchester City (2nd title)
Failed re-election Doncaster Rovers
Matches played 306
Goals scored 940 (3.07 per match)
Top goalscorer Billie Gillespie, (Manchester City), 30 [3]
Biggest home win Small Heath – Doncaster Rovers 12–0 (11 Apr 1903)
Biggest away win Burton United – Manchester City 0–5 (7 Mar 1903)
Highest scoring Small Heath – Doncaster Rovers 12–0 (11 Apr 1903)
Longest winning run 6 matches
Manchester City F.C. (24 Jan 1903 – 7 Mar 1903)
Longest unbeaten run 10 matches
Manchester City F.C. (17 Jan 1903 – 4 Apr 1903)
Woolwich Arsenal (27 Dec 1902 – 7 Mar 1903)
Longest losing run 5 matches
Barnsley (11 Oct 1902 – 24 Nov 1902)
Stockport County (6 Dec 1902 – 1 Jan 1903)
Leicester Fosse (7 Feb 1903 – 7 Mar 1903)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Manchester City34151164151034311495293.276+6654
2Small Heath3417005711737172574362.056+3851
3Woolwich Arsenal341421469665202166302.200+3648
4Bristol City3412324318557162059381.553+2142
5Manchester United349443215647212353381.395+1538
6Chesterfield3411424310359243067401.675+2737
7Preston North End3410523912359172856401.400+1636
8Barnsley349443213449233855511.078+434
9Burslem Port Vale34115136162312214657620.919–534
10Lincoln City3483630224310163146530.868–730
11Glossop349172619269173843580.741–1529
12Gainsborough Trinity3494428142312134541590.695–1829
13Burton United3494426202312133939590.661–2029
14Blackpool3475532242510123544590.746–1528
15Leicester Fosse345572023539214241650.631–2428
16Doncaster Rovers[4]348542717121485535720.486–3725
17Stockport County3464726241214125039740.527–3520
18Burnley346742525011655230770.390–4720

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
New club in the league (none)
Re-elected
Failed re-election

Results

Home ╲ Away BAR BLP BRIBURBPVBURCHFDONGAIGLPLEILINMCIMUNPNESMHSTPWOO
Barnsley 6–0 2–0 3–0 1–0 4–0 2–2 2–0 2–3 0–1 1–2 0–0 0–3 0–0 3–0 3–0 2–1 1–1
Blackpool 3–3 0–1 2–0 2–5 3–3 2–1 4–0 4–0 2–2 2–0 2–3 0–3 2–0 2–2 0–1 2–0 0–0
Bristol City 3–3 0–1 3–0 3–0 3–1 2–1 4–2 1–0 1–1 6–1 0–2 3–2 3–1 2–1 1–1 7–1 1–0
Burnley 1–2 1–1 0–0 3–3 4–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 2–1 1–3 1–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–1 3–2 0–3
Burslem Port Vale 2–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 4–2 2–1 3–0 3–1 1–0 2–0 5–1 1–4 1–1 0–0 2–2 3–1 1–1
Burton United 1–1 2–0 0–3 0–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 2–3 2–2 0–5 3–1 2–1 0–1 5–1 2–1
Chesterfield 3–0 1–1 3–0 2–0 3–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 10–0 5–0 1–0 0–1 2–0 4–2 1–1 4–1 2–2
Doncaster Rovers 2–0 3–0 0–0 2–1 3–2 1–1 3–4 0–0 4–1 0–0 2–1 1–2 2–2 1–2 1–0 2–0 0–1
Gainsborough Trinity 1–2 0–0 2–1 3–0 1–1 3–1 3–2 3–0 1–1 5–1 4–0 0–3 0–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 0–1
Glossop 2–2 1–0 0–2 2–0 2–1 3–0 0–3 3–0 4–2 1–2 2–0 0–1 1–3 1–0 0–1 3–1 1–2
Leicester Fosse 1–2 2–1 2–2 2–1 2–0 0–1 0–2 0–1 4–1 3–2 0–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–2 0–2
Lincoln City 1–3 0–2 1–1 4–1 4–1 4–0 0–0 4–2 1–0 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–3 2–3 0–1 3–1 2–2
Manchester City 3–2 2–0 2–2 6–0 7–1 2–0 4–2 4–1 9–0 5–2 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–0 4–0 5–0 4–1
Manchester United 2–1 2–2 1–2 4–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 5–1 1–2 1–1 0–1 0–1 0–0 3–0
Preston North End 3–0 3–1 1–0 5–0 5–1 1–1 1–1 5–0 0–0 0–0 2–0 0–1 0–2 3–1 2–1 6–1 2–2
Small Heath 2–1 5–1 2–0 3–0 5–1 2–0 2–1 12–0 1–0 3–1 4–3 3–1 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–0
Stockport County 4–1 4–0 0–1 3–0 0–4 0–2 2–2 1–0 1–1 2–3 2–2 3–1 0–2 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–1
Woolwich Arsenal 4–0 2–1 2–1 5–1 3–0 3–0 3–0 3–0 6–1 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 0–1 3–1 6–1 3–1

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

See also

References

  1. ↑ "England 1902-03". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. 1 2 Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. ↑ "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  4. ↑ Doncaster Rovers had entered the league in 1901 only to be voted out now, two years later,
    to be replaced by Bradford City. They were back again for the 1904–05 season, only to be voted
    out at the end of the season again. A third stint came from 1923 on.
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