# 2002–03 Nottingham Forest F.C. season

During the 2002–03 English football season, Nottingham Forest competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

Nottingham Forest rebounded from the previous season's disappointment to finish 6th in the First Division, setting up a play-off with third-placed Sheffield United. Forest were beaten 5–4 on aggregate over two epic semi-final legs, consigning the club to another season in English football's second tier.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 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 |
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 82 | 50 | +32 | 74 | Qualification for First Division Playoffs |
| 7 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 80 | 64 | +16 | 70 | |
| 8 | Norwich City | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 60 | 49 | +11 | 69 | |

## First-team squad

    Squad at end of 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 |
| 1 | GK | WAL | Darren Ward |
| 2 | DF | FRA | Matthieu Louis-Jean |
| 3 | DF | CAN | Jim Brennan |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Des Walker |
| 5 | DF | NOR | Jon Olav Hjelde |
| 6 | MF | ENG | Riccardo Scimeca |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Darren Huckerby (on loan from Manchester City) |
| 8 | MF | SCO | Gareth Williams |
| 9 | FW | JAM | David Johnson |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Jack Lester |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Marlon Harewood |
| 12 | GK | IRL | Barry Roche |
| 14 | DF | SCO | Chris Doig |
| 15 | DF | IRL | John Thompson |
| 16 | MF | GER | Eugen Bopp |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Michael Dawson |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | IRL | Brian Cash |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Craig Westcarr |
| 20 | MF | IRL | Andy Reid |
| 21 | DF | BEL | Davy Oyen |
| 22 | MF | SCO | Eoin Jess |
| 23 | MF | FRA | Benjamin Gavanon (on loan from Marseille) |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Matt Bodkin |
| 28 | DF | ENG | James Biggins |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Richard Jeffrey |
| 31 | GK | GER | Pascal Formann |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Tony Vaughan |
| 33 | DF | WAL | Christian Edwards |
| 34 | FW | FRA | Mickael Antoine-Curier |
| 35 | DF | SCO | Gregor Robertson |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Wes Morgan |

### 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 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | David Prutton (to Southampton) |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Gary Jones (to Tranmere Rovers) |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Marcus Hall (to Southampton) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Keith Foy (to Doncaster Rovers) |
| 34 | FW | IRL | David Freeman |

## Appearances

* Playoff stats are included under Division 1.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division 1 | Division 1 | FA Cup | FA Cup | Worthington Cup | Worthington Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | WAL | Darren Ward | 50 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | FRA | Matthieu Louis-Jean | 45 | 1 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | CAN | Jim Brennan | 49 | 1 | 47 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Des Walker | 33 | 0 | 31+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | NOR | Jon Olav Hjelde | 29 | 0 | 19+8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | ENG | Riccardo Scimeca | 45 | 4 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | David Prutton | 26 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Darren Huckerby | 11 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | SCO | Gareth Williams | 43 | 3 | 41+1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | David Johnson | 47 | 29 | 42+2 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Jack Lester | 35 | 9 | 20+14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Marlon Harewood | 49 | 21 | 44+2 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | IRL | Barry Roche | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | SCO | Chris Doig | 13 | 0 | 4+6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | IRL | John Thompson | 25 | 3 | 19+3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | GER | Eugen Bopp | 15 | 2 | 10+3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Michael Dawson | 42 | 5 | 39 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | IRL | Brian Cash | 2 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Craig Westcarr | 13 | 1 | 2+9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | IRL | Andy Reid | 35 | 3 | 24+8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | BEL | Davy Oyen | 4 | 0 | +4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | SCO | Eoin Jess | 33 | 3 | 17+15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Marcus Hall | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | FRA | Benjamin Gavanon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Matt Bodkin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | ENG | James Biggins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Richard Jeffrey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | IRL | Keith Foy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | GK | GER | Pascal Formann | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Tony Vaughan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | WAL | Christian Edwards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | FRA | Mickael Antoine-Curier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | SCO | Gregor Robertson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Wes Morgan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Results

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 10 August 2002 | Portsmouth | A | 0–2 | 18,910 | |
| 14 August 2002 | Preston North End | H | 2-2 | 18,065 | Johnson, Jess |
| 17 August 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 4–0 | 21,129 | Harewood, Lester, Scimeca (2) |
| 24 August 2002 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 5,096 | Prutton |
| 28 August 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 2–0 | 16,431 | Johnson (2) |
| 31 August 2002 | Coventry City | A | 1–0 | 13,732 | Scimeca |
| 14 September 2002 | Watford | H | 0–1 | 17,865 | |
| 18 September 2002 | Gillingham | H | 4–1 | 16,073 | Harewood (3), Johnson |
| 21 September 2002 | Grimsby Town | A | 3–0 | 7,072 | Johnson (3) |
| 25 September 2002 | Stoke City | A | 2–2 | 14,554 | Dawson, Johnson |
| 28 September 2002 | Rotherham United | H | 3–2 | 25,089 | Johnson (2), Bopp |
| 5 October 2002 | Millwall | A | 2–1 | 10,521 | Johnson (2) |
| 20 October 2002 | Derby County | A | 0–0 | 30,547 | |
| 26 October 2002 | Leicester City | H | 2–2 | 29,497 | Johnson, Lester |
| 29 October 2002 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 20,986 | |
| 2 November 2002 | Sheffield United | H | 3–0 | 22,579 | Lester (2), Johnson |
| 9 November 2002 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 18,971 | |
| 16 November 2002 | Bradford City | H | 3–0 | 19,653 | Lester, Johnson, Louis-Jean |
| 23 November 2002 | Wolves | A | 1–2 | 27,953 | Harewood |
| 27 November 2002 | Brighton | H | 3–2 | 29,137 | Harewood, Johnson, Lester |
| 30 November 2002 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–0 | 24,898 | Johnson (2), |
| 7 December 2002 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 13,869 | |
| 14 December 2002 | Bradford City | A | 0–1 | 12,245 | |
| 21 December 2002 | Reading | H | 2–0 | 25,831 | Johnson, Harewood, |
| 26 December 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–2 | 26,362 | |
| 28 December 2002 | Portsmouth | H | 1–2 | 28,165 | Dawson |
| 1 January 2003 | Walsall | H | 1–1 | 28,441 | Thompson |
| 18 January 2003 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 24,487 | Williams |
| 25 January 2003 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | 13,508 | Johnson |
| 1 February 2003 | Wimbledon | A | 3–2 | 3,382 | Harewood (2), Johnson, |
| 8 February 2003 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–1 | 26,012 | Dawson, Harewood |
| 22 February 2003 | Stoke City | H | 6–0 | 24,085 | Harewood (4), Johnson, Jess |
| 1 March 2003 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 17,934 | Huckerby |
| 4 March 2003 | Gillingham | A | 4–1 | 7,277 | Huckerby (2), Harewood, Thompson |
| 10 March 2003 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–2 | 25,507 | Reid, Williams |
| 15 March 2003 | Brighton | A | 0–1 | 6,830 | |
| 19 March 2003 | Derby County | H | 3–0 | 29,725 | Harewood (2), Huckerby |
| 22 March 2003 | Norwich City | H | 4–0 | 27,296 | Huckerby, Harewood, Williams, Brennan |
| 5 April 2003 | Ipswich Town | A | 4–3 | 29,503 | Harewood (2), Thompson, OG |
| 8 April 2003 | Leicester City | A | 0–1 | 32,065 | |
| 11 April 2003 | Wolves | H | 2–2 | 27,209 | Johnson, Dawson |
| 15 April 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 0-1 | 23,317 | |
| 18 April 2003 | Reading | A | 0–1 | 21,612 | |
| 21 April 2003 | Burnley | H | 2–0 | 25,403 | Dawson, Johnson |
| 26 April 2003 | Millwall | H | 3–3 | 29,763 | Jess, Bopp, Johnson |
| 4 May 2003 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | 9,942 | Lester, Westcarr |

### Play Offs

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 10 May 2003 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 29,064 | Johnson |
| 15 May 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 4–3 | 24,477 | Johnson, Reid, OG |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 4 January 2003 | West Ham United | A | 2–3 | 11,843 | Reid, Harewood |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 11 September 2002 | Kidderminster Harriers | H | 4–0 | 4,950 | Lester (2), Johnson, Scimeca |
| R2 | 2 October 2002 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 4,477 | Johnson |