# 2002–03 Leicester City F.C. season

During the 2002–03 English football season, Leicester City F.C. competed in the Football League First Division after being relegated from the FA Premier League the previous season. Despite being placed into administration, Leicester managed to regain promotion to the Premier League.

## Season summary

In October 2002, Leicester went into administration with debts of £30 million. Some of the reasons were the loss of TV money (ITV Digital, itself in administration, had promised money to First Division clubs for TV rights), the large wage bill, lower fees for players transferred to other clubs than expected and the £37 million cost of the new stadium. Manager Micky Adams was banned from the transfer market for most of the season, until the club was rescued by a takeover by a consortium led by former Leicester striker Gary Lineker. Adams guided Leicester to runners-up spot in Division One and automatic promotion back to the Premiership with 92 points. After several First Division clubs complained to the Football League, the Football League introduced a ruling that any club placed in administration would be deducted ten points.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Portsmouth (C, P) | 46 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 97 | 45 | +52 | 98 | Promotion to 2003–04 FA Premier League |
| 2 | Leicester City (P) | 46 | 26 | 14 | 6 | 73 | 40 | +33 | 92 | Promotion to 2003–04 FA Premier League |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 72 | 52 | +20 | 80 | Qualification for First Division Playoffs |
| 4 | Reading | 46 | 25 | 4 | 17 | 61 | 46 | +15 | 79 | Qualification for First Division Playoffs |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (O, P) | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 81 | 44 | +37 | 76 | Qualification for First Division Playoffs |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 2002-03 Football League First Division table

### 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 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | L | W | D | W | W | W | W | D | W | D | L | D | W | W | W | D | W | L | W | D | W | W | L | W | D | L | W | W | W | D | W | D | D | D | W | W | W | W | W | D | W | L | D | D |
| Position | 5 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |

## Results

Leicester City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 10 August 2002 | Watford | H | 2–0 | 31,022 | Deane (2) |
| 14 August 2002 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 | 14,028 | Scowcroft |
| 18 August 2002 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–6 | 27,374 | Stevenson |
| 24 August 2002 | Reading | H | 2–1 | 22,978 | Deane, Dickov (pen) |
| 27 August 2002 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 15,440 | |
| 31 August 2002 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | 30,067 | Lewis, Dickov |
| 7 September 2002 | Wimbledon | A | 3–2 | 2,165 | Benjamin, Izzet (pen), Stewart |
| 14 September 2002 | Derby County | H | 3–1 | 31,049 | Izzet, Deane, Dickov |
| 17 September 2002 | Bradford City | H | 4–0 | 24,651 | Deane, Elliott, Dickov (pen), Scowcroft |
| 21 September 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–0 | 22,219 | |
| 28 September 2002 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 32,082 | Dickov (pen) |
| 5 October 2002 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 20,952 | |
| 19 October 2002 | Burnley | H | 0–1 | 26,254 | |
| 26 October 2002 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 | 29,497 | Deane, Dickov |
| 29 October 2002 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | 27,139 | Taggart, Deane |
| 2 November 2002 | Portsmouth | A | 2–0 | 19,107 | Scowcroft, Elliott |
| 9 November 2002 | Walsall | H | 2–0 | 25,243 | Heath, Scowcroft |
| 16 November 2002 | Millwall | A | 2–2 | 10,772 | Heath, Stewart |
| 23 November 2002 | Rotherham United | H | 2–1 | 31,714 | Dickov, Stewart |
| 26 November 2002 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | 13,048 | |
| 30 November 2002 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–1 | 7,310 | Scowcroft, Izzet |
| 7 December 2002 | Sheffield United | H | 0–0 | 26,718 | |
| 14 December 2002 | Millwall | H | 4–1 | 31,904 | Scowcroft (2), Elliott, Dickov |
| 20 December 2002 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–0 | 6,592 | Deane |
| 26 December 2002 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–2 | 31,426 | Dickov (pen) |
| 28 December 2002 | Watford | A | 2–1 | 16,017 | Elliott, Deane |
| 11 January 2003 | Stoke City | H | 0–0 | 25,038 | |
| 18 January 2003 | Gillingham | A | 2–3 | 8,609 | Sinclair, Wright |
| 28 January 2003 | Reading | A | 3–1 | 17,156 | Dickov (2, 1 pen), Heath |
| 1 February 2003 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–0 | 27,005 | Dickov |
| 8 February 2003 | Walsall | A | 4–1 | 8,741 | Dickov, Scowcroft (2), Elliott |
| 17 February 2003 | Portsmouth | H | 1–1 | 31,775 | Benjamin |
| 22 February 2003 | Wimbledon | H | 4–0 | 31,438 | Dickov (3, 2 pens), Benjamin |
| 1 March 2003 | Derby County | A | 1–1 | 24,307 | Deane |
| 4 March 2003 | Bradford City | A | 0–0 | 11,531 | |
| 8 March 2003 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–1 | 27,463 | McLaren (own goal) |
| 15 March 2003 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 30,713 | Deane (2) |
| 18 March 2003 | Burnley | A | 2–1 | 14,554 | Dickov, Benjamin |
| 22 March 2003 | Coventry City | A | 2–1 | 16,610 | McKinlay |
| 5 April 2003 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–0 | 31,014 | Benjamin, Davidson |
| 8 April 2003 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–0 | 32,065 | Wright |
| 12 April 2003 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 9,888 | Benjamin |
| 19 April 2003 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–0 | 31,909 | Izzet, Stewart |
| 21 April 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 1–2 | 21,277 | Deane |
| 27 April 2003 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 31,639 | Benjamin |
| 4 May 2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 28,190 | Benjamin (pen) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 4 January 2003 | Bristol City | H | 2–0 | 25,868 | Elliott, Dickov |
| R4 | 25 January 2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–4 | 28,164 | Dickov (pen) |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 10 September 2002 | Hull City | A | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | 7,061 | Rogers (2), Dickov, Scowcroft |
| R2 | 2 October 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | 10,472 | Izzet, Benjamin |
| R3 | 5 November 2002 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 47,848 | |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Tim Flowers |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Andy Impey |
| 3 | DF | JAM | Frank Sinclair |
| 4 | DF | NIR | Gerry Taggart |
| 6 | MF | TUR | Muzzy Izzet |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Matt Jones |
| 10 | FW | ENG | James Scowcroft |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Simon Royce |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Michael Price |
| 14 | DF | SCO | Callum Davidson |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Alan Rogers |
| 16 | GK | ENG | Ian Walker |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Stefan Oakes |
| 18 | DF | SCO | Matt Elliott (captain) |
| 19 | GK | IRL | Paul Murphy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | FW | JAM | Trevor Benjamin |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Martin Reeves |
| 22 | FW | SCO | Paul Dickov |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jordan Stewart |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Matt Heath |
| 25 | MF | ENG | Jon Stevenson |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Junior Lewis |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Brian Deane |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Jon Ashton |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Chris O'Grady |
| 30 | FW | FIN | Tomi Petrescu |
| 32 | MF | SCO | Billy McKinlay |
| 33 | MF | ENG | Nicky Summerbee |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Tom Williamson |
| 35 | FW | ENG | Tommy Wright |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Lee Marshall (to West Bromwich Albion) |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Darren Eadie (retired) |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Dennis Wise (to Millwall) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Matt Piper (to Sunderland) |
| 31 | MF | IRL | Damien Delaney (to Hull City) |
| — | DF | DEN | Jacob Laursen (released) |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 8 August 2002 | MF | Nicky Summerbee | Nottingham Forest | Free transfer |
| 8 August 2002 | MF | Billy McKinlay | Clydebank | Free transfer |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 30 July 2002 | FW | Arnar Gunnlaugsson | Dundee United | Free transfer |
| 14 August 2002 | MF | Lee Marshall | West Bromwich Albion | £700,000 |
| 21 August 2002 | FW | Matt Piper | Sunderland | £3,500,000 |
| 24 September 2002 | MF | Dennis Wise | Millwall | Free transfer |
| 16 October 2002 | FW | Damien Delaney | Hull City | £50,000 |
    Transfers in: £0
    Transfers out: £4,250,000
    Total spending: £4,250,000