2002–03 Gillingham F.C. season
During the 2002–03 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.
Season summary
Gillingham topped the table after three matches, but that would be as good as it got for the Kent side. They were within a shout of the playoffs as late as March, but a run of three wins from their last thirteen saw their slim promotion hopes quashed, although the final 11th place was Gillingham's highest ever in the Football League.In the FA Cup, Gillingham earned a 1-1 home draw against Premiers League Leeds United in the fourth round, before losing 2-1 in the replay at Elland Road. This would be the scoreline that saw Gillingham knocked out of the League Cup too, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Kit
Gillingham continued to manufacture their team kits under their own brand, while French ferry company SeaFrance remained kit sponsors. The kit was essentially the same as that worn the previous season, except that the collar had been changed, to a v-neck shape with a red band.Final league table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GD | Pts | ||||
| 1 | Portsmouth | 46 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 52 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 45 | 23 | 97 | 45 | +52 | 98 | ||||
| 2 | Leicester City | 46 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 40 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 33 | 28 | 73 | 40 | +33 | 92 | ||||
| 3 | Sheffield United | 46 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 38 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 34 | 29 | 72 | 52 | +20 | 80 | ||||
| 4 | Reading | 46 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 33 | 21 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 28 | 25 | 61 | 46 | +15 | 79 | ||||
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 40 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 41 | 25 | 81 | 44 | +37 | 76 | ||||
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 57 | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 82 | 50 | +32 | 74 | ||||
| 7 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 49 | 39 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 31 | 25 | 80 | 64 | +16 | 70 | ||||
| 8 | Norwich City | 46 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 32 | 60 | 49 | +11 | 69 | ||||
| 9 | Millwall | 46 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 32 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 59 | 69 | –10 | 66 | ||||
| 10 | Wimbledon | 46 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 39 | 28 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 37 | 45 | 76 | 73 | +3 | 65 | ||||
| 11 | Gillingham | 46 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 31 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 23 | 34 | 56 | 65 | –9 | 62 | ||||
| 12 | Preston North End | 46 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 44 | 29 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 41 | 68 | 70 | –2 | 61 | ||||
| 13 | Watford | 46 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 33 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 44 | 54 | 70 | –16 | 60 | ||||
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 29 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 30 | 35 | 59 | 52 | +7 | 59 | ||||
| 15 | Rotherham United | 46 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 27 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 35 | 37 | 62 | 62 | ±0 | 59 | ||||
| 16 | Burnley | 46 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 35 | 44 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 30 | 45 | 65 | 89 | –24 | 55 | ||||
| 17 | Walsall | 46 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 34 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 57 | 69 | –12 | 54 | ||||
| 18 | Derby County | 46 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 33 | 32 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 22 | 42 | 55 | 74 | –19 | 52 | ||||
| 19 | Bradford City | 46 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 51 | 73 | –22 | 52 | ||||
| 20 | Coventry City | 46 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 31 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 23 | 31 | 46 | 62 | –16 | 50 | ||||
| 21 | Stoke City | 46 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 44 | 45 | 69 | –24 | 50 | ||||
| 22 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 29 | 32 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 27 | 41 | 56 | 73 | –17 | 46 | ||||
| 23 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 31 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 36 | 49 | 67 | –18 | 45 | ||||
| 24 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 39 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 22 | 46 | 48 | 85 | –37 | 39 |
- Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
- NB: In the Football League goals scored takes precedence over goal difference.
| Key | |
| Football League Champions, promoted to FA Premier League | |
| Promoted to FA Premier League | |
| Participated in play-offs | |
| Promoted to Premier League through play-offs | |
| Relegated |
Results
Gillingham's score comes firstLegend
Football League First Division
FA Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 7 January 2003 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 4-1 | 6,434 | King, Ipoua, Hope |
| R4 | 25 January 2003 | Leeds United | H | 1-1 | 11,093 | Sidibe |
| R4R | 4 February 2003 | Leeds United | A | 1-2 | 29,359 | Ipoua |
League Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 10 September 2002 | Torquay United | A | 1-0 | 1,981 | Hessenthaler |
| R2 | 1 October 2002 | Stockport County | A | 2-1 | 2,396 | Ipoua, T Johnson |
| R3 | 6 November 2002 | Chelsea | A | 1-2 | 28,033 | King |
Squad
Left club during season
Transfers
In
- Leon Johnson - Southend United, free, 2002
- Rod Wallace - Bolton Wanderers, free, June 2002
- Mamady Sidibe - Swansea City, free, 7 August 2002