2002–03 Fulham F.C. season
# 2002–03 Fulham F.C. season

The 2002–03 season was Fulham F.C.'s 105th season in professional football and second consecutive season in the FA Premier League. It was also the first season in over 115 years where Fulham did not play at Craven Cottage. Due to pending decisions on re-vamping the cottage, all home games (apart from two early-season fixtures) were played at Loftus Road, the home of Queens Park Rangers. Jean Tigana remained as Fulham manager up until his sacking in April 2003. Former Fulham player Chris Coleman had not long been retired from the game since suffering a career-ending injury in a car crash when he was appointed caretaker manager for the rest of the season.

Concerning the league, it was another relatively disappointing season for Fulham. Finishing in 14th place, it was seeming Fulham were finding top-flight football more of a struggle than was originally anticipated two years ago. However, an invitation to the Intertoto Cup after the 2001–02 campaign meant that Fulham could play European football for the first time in their history. Upon entering, Fulham went on to be one of the three winners of the competition, allowing them into the first round draw of the UEFA Cup. Performing better than most expected, Fulham reached the third round before being knocked out by German club Hertha BSC.

## Players

### First-team squad

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | NED | Edwin van der Sar |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Steve Finnan |
| 4 | DF | WAL | Andy Melville |
| 6 | MF | JPN | Junichi Inamoto (on loan from Gamba Osaka) |
| 7 | FW | FRA | Steve Marlet |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Lee Clark |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Facundo Sava |
| 10 | MF | SCO | John Collins |
| 11 | FW | POR | Luís Boa Morte |
| 12 | GK | NIR | Maik Taylor |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Ross Flitney |
| 14 | MF | FRA | Steed Malbranque |
| 15 | FW | JAM | Barry Hayles |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Zat Knight |
| 17 | DF | FRA | Martin Djetou (on loan from Parma) |
| 18 | MF | FRA | Sylvain Legwinski |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | FW | DEN | Bjarne Goldbæk |
| 20 | FW | FRA | Louis Saha |
| 21 | GK | ARG | Martín Herrera |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Sean Davis |
| 24 | DF | FRA | Alain Goma |
| 25 | DF | MAR | Abdeslam Ouaddou |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Jon Harley |
| 27 | DF | CMR | Pierre Womé (on loan from Bologna) |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Darren Pratley |
| 33 | FW | ENG | Calum Willock |
| 34 | FW | GHA | Elvis Hammond |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Mark Hudson |
| 38 | FW | ENG | Luke Cornwall |
| 39 | DF | ENG | Dean Leacock |
| 40 | MF | LVA | Andrejs Štolcers |

### Left club during season

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Rufus Brevett (to West Ham United) |
| 5 | DF | WAL | Chris Coleman (retired) |
| 30 | GK | ENG | Glyn Thompson (to Northampton Town) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 31 | MF | USA | Eddie Lewis (to Preston North End) |
| 35 | DF | SCO | Kieran McAnespie (to Plymouth Argyle) |

### Reserves and academy

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| — | DF | ENG | Adam Green |
| — | DF | ENG | Zesh Rehman |
| — | MF | ENG | Sean Doherty |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | IRL | Michael Timlin |
| — | FW | SCO | Stuart Noble |

## Transfers

### Summer

**In**

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| — | FW | ARG | Facundo Sava (from Gimnasia – £2,000,000) |
| — | GK | ARG | Martín Herrera (from Alavés – free) |
| — | DF | FRA | Martin Djetou (two-year loan from Parma) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | JPN | Junichi Inamoto (season-long loan from Gamba Osaka) |
| — | DF | CMR | Pierre Womé (season-long loan from Bologna) |

**Out**

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| — | GK | USA | Marcus Hahnemann (released) |
| — | MF | WAL | Paul Trollope (to Northampton Town – free) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | USA | Eddie Lewis (to Preston North End – undisclosed) |

### Winter

**Out**

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| — | FW | ENG | Luke Cornwall (one-month loan to Lincoln City) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Rufus Brevett (to West Ham United - undisclosed) |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 12 | Charlton Athletic | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 45 | 56 | −11 | 49 |
| 13 | Birmingham City | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 41 | 49 | −8 | 48 |
| 14 | Fulham | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 41 | 50 | −9 | 48 |
| 15 | Leeds United | 38 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 58 | 57 | +1 | 47 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 42 | 47 | −5 | 45 |

## Results

### Premier League

| Matchday | 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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | W | D | L | W | W | D | L | W | D | L | L | L | L | D | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | D | W | L | L | W | W | D | W | D | L | L | L | W | L | D | W | W |
| Position | 2 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 |

## Statistics

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | NED | Edwin van der Sar | 30 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | NIR | Maik Taylor | 28 | 0 | 18+1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | ARG | Martín Herrera | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | IRL | Steve Finnan | 41 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | WAL | Andy Melville | 40 | 0 | 24+2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Zat Knight | 24 | 0 | 12+5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | FRA | Martin Djetou | 35 | 1 | 22+3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | FRA | Alain Goma | 45 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | MAR | Abdeslam Ouaddou | 26 | 0 | 9+4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Jon Harley | 19 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | CMR | Pierre Womé | 19 | 1 | 13+1 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Mark Hudson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | DF | ENG | Dean Leacock | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | JPN | Junichi Inamoto | 33 | 6 | 9+10 | 2 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3+7 | 4 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Lee Clark | 15 | 3 | 9+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | SCO | John Collins | 12 | 0 | 0+5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | POR | Luís Boa Morte | 45 | 5 | 25+4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 | 10+3 | 2 |
| 14 | MF | FRA | Steed Malbranque | 55 | 13 | 35+2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12+2 | 3 |
| 18 | MF | FRA | Sylvain Legwinski | 51 | 8 | 33+2 | 4 | 3+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10+2 | 2 |
| 19 | MF | DEN | Bjarne Goldbæk | 20 | 1 | 8+2 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Sean Davis | 45 | 4 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| 40 | MF | LVA | Andrejs Štolcers | 9 | 2 | 0+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0+2 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||||
| 7 | FW | FRA | Steve Marlet | 44 | 9 | 28 | 4 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13+1 | 5 |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Facundo Sava | 33 | 6 | 13+7 | 5 | 3+1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Barry Hayles | 24 | 3 | 4+10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+7 | 2 |
| 20 | FW | FRA | Louis Saha | 28 | 7 | 13+4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5+3 | 1 |
| 33 | FW | ENG | Calum Willock | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | GHA | Elvis Hammond | 10 | 0 | 3+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players transferred out during the season ||||||||||||||
| 3 | DF | ENG | Rufus Brevett | 30 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |

Last updated: 30 May 2003 Source: Competitions

