1902–03 Small Heath F.C. season
# 1902–03 Small Heath F.C. season

The 1902–03 Football League season was Small Heath Football Club's 11th in the Football League and their 8th in the Second Division. Having been relegated in 1901–02, they reached the top two positions by mid-November and remained there for the rest of the season, finishing as runners-up in the 18-team league, so were promoted back to the First Division at the first attempt. They also took part in the 1902–03 FA Cup, entering at the first round proper (round of 32) and losing in that round to Derby County. In locally organised competition, they lost to Aston Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup after two replays.

Twenty-two players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Archie Goldie was ever-present over the 35-match season, his full-back partner Harold Wassell missed only one match, and six other players made at least 30 appearances. Arthur Leonard was leading scorer with 16 goals, all of which came in the league. The 12–0 defeat of Doncaster Rovers in April equalled the club record highest win.

## Football League Second Division

| Date | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6 September 1902 | 3rd | Leicester Fosse | H | W | 3–1 | Field 2, McRoberts | 6,000 |
| 13 September 1902 | 2nd | Manchester City | H | W | 4–0 | Jones, McMillan, Leonard 2 | 12,000 |
| 20 September 1902 | 6th | Burnley | A | L | 1–2 | McMillan | 3,000 |
| 27 September 1902 | 4th | Preston North End | H | W | 3–1 | Leonard, McMillan, Wigmore | 10,000 |
| 4 October 1902 | 3rd | Burslem Port Vale | A | D | 2–2 | McMillan, Athersmith | 4,000 |
| 11 October 1902 | 3rd | Barnsley | H | W | 2–1 | Athersmith, Leonard | 7,000 |
| 18 October 1902 | 5th | Gainsborough Trinity | A | L | 0–1 | | 3,000 |
| 25 October 1902 | 4th | Burton United | H | W | 2–0 | Field, Athersmith | 5,000 |
| 1 November 1902 | 5th | Bristol City | A | D | 1–1 | McRoberts | 12,000 |
| 8 November 1902 | 4th | Glossop | H | W | 3–2 | McRoberts 2, Beer | 5,000 |
| 15 November 1902 | 3rd | Manchester United | A | W | 1–0 | Beer | 24,000 |
| 22 November 1902 | 2nd | Stockport County | H | W | 2–0 | Beer, McRoberts | 5,000 |
| 29 November 1902 | 1st | Blackpool | A | W | 1–0 | Leonard | 3,000 |
| 6 December 1902 | 1st | Woolwich Arsenal | H | W | 2–0 | Leonard, Wigmore | 10,000 |
| 13 December 1902 | 2nd | Doncaster Rovers | A | L | 0–2 | | 3,000 |
| 20 December 1902 | 2nd | Lincoln City | H | W | 3–1 | Harrison 2, Leonard | 7,000 |
| 26 December 1902 | 2nd | Chesterfield Town | H | W | 2–1 | Athersmith, Beer | 13,000 |
| 27 December 1902 | 2nd | Chesterfield Town | A | D | 1–1 | McRoberts | 6,000 |
| 3 January 1903 | 2nd | Leicester Fosse | H | W | 4–3 | Leonard 2, Field, McRoberts | 6,000 |
| 17 January 1903 | 2nd | Burnley | H | W | 3–0 | Leonard, Field, Athersmith | 7,000 |
| 24 January 1903 | 2nd | Preston North End | A | L | 1–2 | Beer | 7,000 |
| 31 January 1903 | 2nd | Burslem Port Vale | H | W | 5–1 | McRoberts, Jones, Beer, Windridge 2 | 6,000 |
| 14 February 1903 | 2nd | Gainsborough Trinity | H | W | 1–0 | McRoberts | 7,000 |
| 21 February 1903 | 2nd | Burton United | A | W | 1–0 | McRoberts | 3,000 |
| 23 February 1903 | 2nd | Manchester City | A | L | 0–4 | | 20,000 |
| 28 February 1903 | 2nd | Bristol City | H | W | 2–0 | Windridge 2 | 12,000 |
| 7 March 1903 | 2nd | Glossop | A | W | 1–0 | Windridge | 2,000 |
| 21 March 1903 | 2nd | Stockport County | A | W | 2–1 | McRoberts, Harrison | 4,000 |
| 28 March 1903 | 2nd | Blackpool | H | W | 5–1 | Wilcox 2, McRoberts, Beer pen, Wolstenholme og | 7,000 |
| 4 April 1903 | 2nd | Woolwich Arsenal | A | L | 1–6 | McRoberts | 15,000 |
| 10 April 1903 | 2nd | Lincoln City | A | W | 1–0 | Leonard | 6,000 |
| 11 April 1903 | 2nd | Doncaster Rovers | H | W | 12–0 | Leonard 4, Wilcox 4, Athersmith, Field, McRoberts, Dougherty | 8,000 |
| 13 April 1903 | 2nd | Barnsley | A | L | 0–3 | | 5,000 |
| 20 April 1903 | 2nd | Manchester United | H | W | 2–1 | Leonard, Wilcox | 4,000 |

### League table (part)

Final Second Division table (part) :

| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1st | Manchester City | 34 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 95 | 29 | 3.28 | 54 |
| 2nd | Small Heath | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 74 | 36 | 2.06 | 51 |
| 3rd | Woolwich Arsenal | 34 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 66 | 30 | 2.20 | 48 |
| 4th | Bristol City | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 38 | 1.55 | 42 |
| 5th | Manchester United | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 38 | 1.40 | 38 |
| Key | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points |
| Source | | | | | | | | | |

## FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| First round | 7 February 1903 | Derby County | A | L | 1–2 | Windridge | 15,000 |

## Appearances and goals

Players having played at least one first-team match :

| Name | Position | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Position | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Nat Robinson | Goalkeeper | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Jack Dorrington | Goalkeeper | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Archie Goldie | Full back | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Harold Wassell | Full back | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Billy Beer | Half back | 33 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
| Jim Dougherty | Half back | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 |
| Ambrose Hartwell | Half back | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Harry Howard | Half back | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Walter Wigmore | Half back | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| Charlie Athersmith | Forward | 30 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 6 |
| Oakey Field | Forward | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 6 |
| Arthur Harrison | Forward | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| John Hirons | Forward | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Billy Jones | Forward | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Arthur Leonard | Forward | 32 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 16 |
| John McMillan | Forward | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Bob McRoberts | Forward | 31 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 14 |
| Thomas Thompson | Forward | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Charlie Tickle | Forward | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Sid Wharton | Forward | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Freddie Wilcox | Forward | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| Jimmy Windridge | Forward | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
