2002–03 Leeds United A.F.C. season

Leeds United
2002-03 season
Manager Terry Venables (until 21 March 2003)
Peter Reid (from 21 March 2003)
Barclaycard Premiership 15th
FA Cup Sixth round proper
League Cup Third round
Top goalscorer Viduka (20)

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

Contents

Season summary

As Leeds United's debts began racking up, the club began selling many first-team players to raise money, most notably defender and captain Rio Ferdinand, sold to arch-rivals Manchester United for around 25 million pounds - a world record for a defender at the time. Despite this mass exodus of players (which forced many youth players like James Milner and Matthew Kilgallon into the first team) Leeds managed to remain in the Premiership after finishing a safe 15th place, with no small thanks to striker Mark Viduka. Viduka struck 20 goals in the Premiership alone, making him the fourth highest scorer in the league that season. Harry Kewell was also influential, scoring 14 on his own and setting up several of Viduka's strikes, before departing to Liverpool in the summer.

Kit

Nike remained as Leeds United's kit sponsors, and introduced a new home kit for the season.

Squad

First-team squad

[1] Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Nigel Martyn
2 DF Gary Kelly
3 DF Ian Harte
5 DF Lucas Radebe
8 FW Michael Bridges
9 FW Mark Viduka
10 FW Harry Kewell
11 MF Raúl Bravo (on loan from Real Madrid)
12 MF Nick Barmby
13 GK Paul Robinson
14 MF Stephen McPhail
15 DF Teddy Lučić (on loan from AIK)
16 MF Jason Wilcox
17 FW Alan Smith
18 DF Danny Mills
No. Position Player
19 MF Eirik Bakke
20 MF Seth Johnson
21 DF Dominic Matteo (captain)
22 DF Michael Duberry
23 MF David Batty
24 MF Paul Okon
25 MF Jacob Burns
28 MF Jamie McMaster
32 MF Harpal Singh
34 DF Frazer Richardson
35 DF Shane Cansdell-Sherriff
36 DF Matthew Kilgallon
37 MF Paul Keegan
38 MF James Milner
39 FW Simon Johnson

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
4 MF Olivier Dacourt (on loan to Roma)
6 DF Jonathan Woodgate (to Newcastle United)
7 FW Robbie Keane (to Tottenham Hotspur)
11 MF Lee Bowyer (to West Ham United)
26 GK Danny Milosevic (on loan to Crewe Alexandra)
No. Position Player
27 FW Robbie Fowler (to Manchester City)
GK Shaun Allaway (on loan to Grimsby Town)
DF Tom Newey (on loan to Darlington)
MF Steven Ferguson (on loan to Hyde United)
FW Craig Stiens (on loan to Swansea City)

Starting 11

Transfers

In

Out

Transfers in: £0
Transfers out: £49,300,000
Total spending: £49,300,000

Premier League

Matches

Top scorers

References