# 2002–03 Newcastle United F.C. season

During the 2002–03 English football season, Newcastle United F.C. participated in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Barclaycard Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

## Season summary

After a slow start, the club began putting together the wins and, by the end of March, were in a three-way title race with Manchester United and Arsenal. Consecutive defeats to a resurgent Everton and a 6–2 home thrashing by Alex Ferguson's side killed off Newcastle's title hopes, but Bobby Robson and his team was able to brush off the challenge from Chelsea to finish 3rd in the Premier League, entering the qualification rounds for the Champions League in the 2003–04 season.
The 2002–03 season was a particularly colourful one for Newcastle on the European stage. In the first group stage, Newcastle lost their first three matches in a row, then, in an astonishing reversal, shocked Italian giants Juventus 1–0 at St James' Park. They then controversially beat Dynamo Kyiv 2–1 in Newcastle before winning the crucial last match, away to Feyenoord, 3–2 in injury time, with striker Craig Bellamy scoring the injury time winner. With Dynamo Kyiv losing at home to Juventus, Newcastle progressed to the second round, in a 'group of death' with Internazionale, Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen.
Bellamy was sent off for lashing out at Inter defender Marco Materazzi in an off-the-ball incident during the opening minutes of the match. Bellamy was punished further by a three-match ban. Compounding the disaster for Newcastle was the suspension of influential captain Alan Shearer for a similar incident, although the punishment was just a two-match ban. Newcastle went on to lose 1–4 at home.
Shearer returned in the fourth game in the 4-team group, scoring all three goals in a 3–1 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen at home. Despite a superb performance against Inter in the famous San Siro, only to draw 2–2, Newcastle lost at home 2–0 to Barcelona and dropped out of the Champions League.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Manchester United (C) | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 74 | 34 | +40 | 83 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Arsenal | 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 85 | 42 | +43 | 78 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 69 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Chelsea | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 67 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 64 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
* ↑ Since Liverpool qualified for the UEFA Cup via the league, their place in the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners reverted to the league and was awarded to Blackburn Rovers as the highest-placed team not already qualified for European competitions.

## Team kit

The team kit for the 2002–03 season was produced by Adidas and the main shirt sponsor was NTL.

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 20 June 2002 | MF | Hugo Viana | Sporting CP | £8,500,000 |
| 12 July 2002 | DF | Titus Bramble | Ipswich Town | £5,000,000 |
| 13 February 2003 | DF | Jonathan Woodgate | Leeds United | £9,000,000 |
| 25 March 2003 | MF | Darren Ambrose | Ipswich Town | £1,000,000 |
* Total spending: £23.5m

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| April 2002 | GK | Jonny Brain | Unattached | Free |
| April 2002 | DF | Ryan McGuffie | Gretna | Free |
| 27 May 2002 | MF | Mark Boyd | Port Vale | Free |
| April 2002 | FW | Colin McMenamin | Livingston | Free |
| 3 July 2002 | DF | James Coppinger | Exeter City | Released |
| 30 August 2002 | DF | David Cowan | Motherwell | Free |
| February 2003 | MF | Stuart Green | Hull City | £150,000 |
| January 2003 | MF | Tommy English | Livingston | Released |
| January 2003 | MF | Neale McDermott | Fulham | Free |
| January 2003 | MF | Christian Bassedas | Newell's Old Boys | Released |
| March 2003 | GK | John Karelse | AGOVV Apeldoorn | Free |
| March 2003 | MF | Joe Kendrick | 1860 Munich | Free |
| January 2003 | MF | Damon Robson | Unattached | Free |
* Total spending: £150,000

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | IRL | Shay Given |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Robbie Elliott |
| 4 | MF | PER | Nolberto Solano |
| 5 | DF | IRL | Andy O'Brien |
| 6 | MF | CHI | Clarence Acuña |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Jermaine Jenas |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Kieron Dyer |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Alan Shearer (captain) |
| 10 | FW | WAL | Craig Bellamy |
| 11 | MF | WAL | Gary Speed (vice-captain) |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Andy Griffin |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Steve Harper |
| 14 | DF | ENG | Wayne Quinn |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Darren Ambrose |
| 18 | DF | NIR | Aaron Hughes |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Titus Bramble |
| 20 | FW | COD | Lomana LuaLua |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Jamie McClen |
| 23 | FW | NGA | Shola Ameobi |
| 25 | MF | SCO | Brian Kerr |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Jonathan Woodgate |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Michael Chopra |
| 30 | DF | SCO | Steven Caldwell |
| 32 | MF | FRA | Laurent Robert |
| 34 | DF | GRE | Nikos Dabizas |
| 35 | DF | FRA | Olivier Bernard |
| 45 | MF | POR | Hugo Viana |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | DF | ESP | Marcelino (to Poli Ejido) |
| 17 | MF | ARG | Christian Bassedas (released) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Stuart Green (to Hull City) |

### Reserve squad

    The following players did not appear for the first-team this season.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | MF | PAR | Diego Gavilán |
| 24 | GK | ENG | Tony Caig |
| 29 | GK | NED | John Karelse |
| 33 | GK | ENG | Adam Collin |
| 36 | DF | SCO | Gary Caldwell |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 37 | FW | COD | Calvin Zola |
| — | DF | ENG | Bradley Orr |
| — | DF | ENG | Steven Taylor |
| — | MF | IRL | Alan O'Brien |
| — | MF | RSA | Matty Pattison |

### Trialists

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Russell Howarth (on trial from York City) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | NGA | Isaac Okoronkwo (on trial from Shakhtar Donetsk) |

## Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Manager | Bobby Robson |
| Assistant manager | John Carver |
| First-team coach | Nigel Pearson |
| Goalkeeping coach | Andy Woodman |
| Development coach | Arthur Cox |
| Reserve team coach | Terry McDermott |
| Chief scout | Steve Clarke |
Last updated: 3 May 2011 Source:

## Appearances, goals and cards

    (Starting appearances + substitute appearances)
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Champions League | Champions League | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Shay Given | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Robbie Elliott | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Nolberto Solano | 29+2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 10+2 | 1 | 40+5 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Andy O'Brien | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11+1 | 0 | 38+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Clarence Acuña | 2+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Jermaine Jenas | 23+9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 31+9 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Kieron Dyer | 33+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11+1 | 2 | 45+3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Alan Shearer | 35 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 48 | 25 | 8 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Craig Bellamy | 27+2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 34+2 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | Gary Speed | 23+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 35+1 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Andy Griffin | 22+5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 35+5 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| 13 | GK | Steve Harper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Wayne Quinn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | Carl Cort | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Darren Ambrose | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Aaron Hughes | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11+1 | 0 | 47+1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Titus Bramble | 13+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21+3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Lomana LuaLua | 5+6 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5+4 | 2 | 11+11 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Jamie McClen | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | Shola Ameobi | 8+20 | 5 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4+6 | 3 | 12+27 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | Brian Kerr | 4+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 5+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Jonathan Woodgate | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | Michael Chopra | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Steven Caldwell | 12+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 14+3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 32 | MF | Laurent Robert | 25+2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 35+5 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 34 | DF | Nikos Dabizas | 13+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 | 21+5 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 35 | DF | Olivier Bernard | 24+6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8+2 | 0 | 34+8 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | Hugo Viana | 11+12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5+5 | 2 | 17+17 | 4 | 5 | 0 |