# 2003 Portland Timbers season

The 2003 Portland Timbers season was the 3rd season for the Portland Timbers—the 3rd incarnation of a club to bear the Timbers name—of the now-defunct A-League, the second-tier league of the United States and Canada at the time.

## Competitions
### A-League
#### Western Conference, Pacific Division standings

Division Final round of playoffs
| Pos | Club | Pts | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 1 | Seattle Sounders | 53 | 28 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 45 | 24 | +21 |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 52 | 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 45 | 24 | +21 |
| 3 | Portland Timbers | 47 | 28 | 15 | 11 | 2 | 39 | 33 | +6 |
| 4 | Team Calgary | 15 | 28 | 4 | 21 | 3 | 16 | 62 | −46 |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 28 | 47 | 15 | 11 | 2 | 39 | 33 | +6 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 13 | +11 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 20 | −5 |
Source: Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Stadium | H | A | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | L | L | W | W | L | L | L | W | W | L | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | T | L | W | W | T | W | L | W |

## Club
### Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Head coach | Bobby Howe |
| Assistant coach | Jimmy Conway |
| Goalkeeper coach | Jim Brazeau |
| Athletic trainer | Tony Guyette |
| Strength and conditioning Coach | Carl Davison |
Source:

### Management

| Owner | Portland Family Entertainment |
| President | Mark Schuster |
| General Manager | Jim Taylor |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | PGE Park ( / ) |
Source:

## Squad
### Kits

| Home | Away |

### Final roster

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | DF | USA | Bryn Ritchie |
| 5 | DF | NZL | Gavin Wilkinson |
| 6 | MF | USA | Manuel Brasil |
| 7 | MF | MEX | Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar |
| 8 | MF | USA | Jason Melendez |
| 9 | FW | USA | McKinley Tennyson |
| 10 | FW | SYR | Fadi Afash |
| 11 | MF | USA | Brian Winters |
| 13 | DF | USA | Ryan Youngblood |
| 14 | MF | USA | Scott Benedetti |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | FW | MEX | Byron Alvarez |
| 18 | MF | USA | Adam Wilson |
| 19 | DF | USA | Nick Downing (on loan from New England Revolution) |
| 20 | MF | USA | Jake Sagare |
| 21 | GK | USA | Cole Burgman |
| 22 | FW | USA | Dan Antoniuk |
| 23 | DF | USA | Aaron Heinzen |
| 24 | DF | USA | Lee Morrison |
| 30 | GK | USA | Josh Saunders (on loan from San Jose Earthquakes) |

### Recognition

A-League All-League Second Team
| Pos | Player | GP |
| FW | Byron Alvarez | 21 |
A-League Player of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent(s) |
| 12 | Byron Alvarez | Vancouver Whitecaps (x2) |
A-League Team of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent(s) |
| 5 | McKinley Tennyson | Calgary Storm, Seattle Sounders |
| 7 | Byron Alvarez | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| 11 | Byron Alvarez | Calgary Storm (x2) |
| 11 | Josh Saunders | Calgary Storm (x2) |
| 12 | Byron Alvarez | Vancouver Whitecaps (x2) |
| 13 | Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar | El Paso Patriots, Milwaukee Wave United |
| 13 | Byron Alvarez | El Paso Patriots, Milwaukee Wave United |
| 17 | Byron Alvarez | Seattle Sounders (x2) |
| 18 | Gavin Wilkinson | Indiana Blast, Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders |
| 20 | Scott Benedetti | El Paso Patriots |
| 20 | Bryn Ritchie | El Paso Patriots |

### Statistics
#### Appearances and goals

All players contracted to the club during the season included.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | A-League | A-League |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| (1) | GK | USA | Curtis Spiteri (released) | 10 | 0 | 10+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | USA | Bryn Ritchie (began season wearing kit number 2) | 18 | 1 | 10+8 | 1 |
| (4) | MF | USA | Jake Vaughn (released) | 6 | 0 | 1+5 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | NZL | Gavin Wilkinson | 22 | 2 | 22+0 | 2 |
| 6 | MF | USA | Manuel Brasil | 10 | 0 | 7+3 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | MEX | Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar | 27 | 1 | 27+0 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | USA | Jason Melendez | 18 | 1 | 11+7 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | USA | McKinley Tennyson | 28 | 11 | 24+4 | 11 |
| 10 | FW | SYR | Fadi Afash | 21 | 4 | 14+7 | 4 |
| 11 | MF | USA | Brian Winters | 28 | 0 | 28+0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | USA | Ryan Youngblood | 6 | 0 | 1+5 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | USA | Scott Benedetti | 25 | 1 | 25+0 | 1 |
| 15 | FW | MEX | Byron Alvarez | 21 | 12 | 12+9 | 12 |
| 18 | MF | USA | Adam Wilson | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | USA | Nick Downing | 26 | 0 | 24+2 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | USA | Jake Sagare | 20 | 4 | 20+0 | 4 |
| 21 | GK | USA | Cole Burgman | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | USA | Dan Antoniuk | 20 | 1 | 4+16 | 1 |
| 23 | DF | USA | Aaron Heinzen | 27 | 0 | 27+0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | USA | Lee Morrison | 24 | 1 | 23+1 | 1 |
| 30 | GK | USA | Josh Saunders | 16 | 0 | 16+0 | 0 |
| (—) | DF | TRI | Brent Sancho (transferred to Dundee) | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |

#### Top scorers

Players with 1 goal or more included only.
| Rk. | Position | Player | Total | A-League |
| 1 | FW | Byron Alvarez | 12 | 12 |
| 2 | FW | McKinley Tennyson | 11 | 11 |
| 3 | FW | Fadi Afash | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | MF | Jake Sagare | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | DF | Gavin Wilkinson | 2 | 2 |
| 6 | MF | Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | Dan Antoniuk | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | Scott Benedetti | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | Jason Melendez | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Lee Morrison | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Bryn Ritchie | 1 | 1 |
| | | TOTALS | 39 | 39 |

#### Disciplinary record

Players with 1 card or more included only.
| No. | Position | Player | Total | Total | A-League | A-League |
| 4 | DF | Bryn Ritchie | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Gavin Wilkinson | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | Manuel Brasil | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | Jason Melendez | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | McKinley Tennyson | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Fadi Afash | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Brian Winters | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Scott Benedetti | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 15 | FW | Byron Alvarez | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Nick Downing | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Jake Sagare | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 | DF | Aaron Heinzen | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Lee Morrison | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 47 | 4 | 47 | 4 |

#### Goalkeeper stats

All goalkeepers included.
| No. | Nat. | Player | Total | Total | Total | Total | A-League | A-League | A-League | A-League |
| No. | Nat. | Player | MIN | GA | GAA | SV | MIN | GA | GAA | SV |
| (1) | | Curtis Spiteri | 905 | 17 | 1.69 | 38 | 905 | 17 | 1.69 | 38 |
| 21 | | Cole Burgman | 180 | 1 | 0.50 | 9 | 180 | 1 | 0.50 | 9 |
| 30 | | Josh Saunders | 1493 | 15 | 0.90 | 58 | 1493 | 15 | 0.90 | 58 |
| | | TOTALS | 2578 | 33 | 1.15 | 105 | 2578 | 33 | 1.15 | 105 |

### Player movement
#### Transfers in

| Date | Player | Position | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| April 1, 2003 | Dan Antoniuk (R) | FW | Wheaton Lyons | Free |
| April 1, 2003 | Jason Melendez (R) | MF | UNLV Rebels | Free |
| April 1, 2003 | Lee Morrison | DF | Dallas Burn | Free |
| April 1, 2003 | Curtis Spiteri (R) | GK | Portland Pilots | A-League College Player Draft, 2nd round |
| April 1, 2003 | Jake Vaughn | MF | Unattached | Free |
| April 1, 2003 | Adam Wilson | MF | Hershey Wildcats | Free |
| April 4, 2003 | Cole Burgman | GK | Atlanta Silverbacks | Free |
| April 2003 | Byron Alvarez | FW | MetroStars | Signed amateur contract due to complications acquiring a P-1 visa; played entire 2003 season without pay |
| May 27, 2003 | Jake Sagare | MF | Grimsby Town | Free |

#### Loans in

| Date | Player | Position | Parent Club | Fee/notes | Ref |
| April 14, 2003 | Nick Downing | DF | New England Revolution | Season-long loan | |
| June 25, 2003 | Josh Saunders | GK | San Jose Earthquakes | Season-long loan | |

#### Transfers out

| Date | Player | Position | Destination club | Fee/notes |
| End of 2002 season | Chugger Adair | FW | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2002 season | Sean McAuley | DF | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2002 season | Jake Sagare | MF | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| January 22, 2003 | Greg Howes | FW | Unattached | Released |
| January 24, 2003 | Matt Napoleon | GK | Unattached | Retired |
| April 2, 2003 | Vadim Tolstolutsky | FW | Unattached | Retired |
| April 8, 2003 | Chris Smith | GK | Unattached | Released |
| April 14, 2003 | Keith Costigan | DF | Unattached | Released |
| April 14, 2003 | Erik Ozimek | MF | Unattached | Released |
| April 14, 2003 | Ben Somoza | MF | Unattached | Released |
| June 9, 2003 | Jake Vaughn | MF | Unattached | Released |
| July 1, 2003 | Curtis Spiteri | GK | Unattached | Released |
| August 7, 2003 | Brent Sancho | DF | Dundee | Undisclosed fee |

#### Loans out

| Date | Player | Position | Destination club | Fee/notes | Ref |
| September 13, 2002 | Brent Sancho | DF | San Juan Jabloteh | Season-long loan; allowed to tour with the Trinidad and Tobago national football team following San Juan Jabloteh's season; subsequently sold to Dundee | |

#### Unsigned draft picks

| Date | Player | Position | Previous club | Notes | Ref |
| December 17, 2002 | Ryan Coiner | FW | San Diego Toreros Orange County Blue Star | A-League College Player Draft, 1st round | |