2002–03 Celtic F.C. season

Celtic went into the 2002–03 season defending their Scottish Premier League title, which they won in 2001–02.

They also entered the UEFA Champions League at the qualifying stage, as well as taking part in the two domestic cup competitions, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup.

Season overview

League campaign Celtic lost out on the title on the last day of the season despite a 4–0 win at Kilmarnock, with a goal difference of 1 less than Rangers over the whole season.SPL goes down to the Wire BBC Sport, 25 May 2003

European campaign Celtic went into third qualifying stage of the Champions League but failed to beat Basel. They then dropped down into the UEFA Cup where they beat teams including Blackburn Rovers, Stuttgart and Liverpool to reach the final where they lost 2–3 after extra time to Porto.

Domestic cups Celtic reached the final of the Scottish League Cup, but a late penalty miss by John Hartson meant the trophy went to Rangers. As the number of games to be played took its toll, an inexperienced Celtic side lost to Inverness CT in the Scottish Cup.

Competitions

DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionCeltic scorersMatch Report6 July 2002Tolka ParkShelbourne4 – 1FriendlySutton, Agathe, Hartson (2) 7 July 2002Tolka ParkShamrock Rovers1 – 1FriendlyBalde10 July 2002Fratton ParkPortsmouth3 – 2FriendlySylla, Petta, Healy13 July 2002Loftus RoadQPR7 – 3FriendlyHealy, Sutton, Hartson, Maloney, Sylla, Fernández (2)17 July 2002SF Liebnitz3 – 1FriendlyMaloney, Fernández (2)19 July 2002Werder Bremen2 – 6FriendlyHartson, Fernández24 July 2002Celtic ParkAjax1 – 3FriendlySutton27 July 2002Celtic ParkParma2 – 1FriendlySutton, Sylla3 August 2002Celtic ParkDunfermline2 – 1SPLLarsson (2)BBC Sport7 August 2002White Hart LaneTottenham Hotspur1 – 1FriendlyMaloneyBBC Sport10 August 2002PittodrieAberdeen4 – 0SPLMjällby, Sutton, Sylla, LambertBBC Sport14 August 2002Celtic ParkBasel3 – 1CLQLarsson (pen.), Sutton, SyllaBBC Sport17 August 2002Celtic ParkDundee United5 – 0SPLMcNamara, Sutton, Petrov, Hartson, LarssonBBC Sport24 August 2002FirhillPartick Thistle1 – 0SPLLarssonBBC Sport28 August 2002St. Jakob-ParkBasel0 – 2CLQBBC Sport1 September 2002Celtic ParkLivingston2 – 0SPLLarsson, BaldeBBC Sport11 September 2002Fir ParkMotherwell1 – 2SPLHartsonBBC Sport14 September 2002Celtic ParkHibernian1 – 0SPLHartsonBBC Sport19 September 2002Celtic ParkFK Sūduva8 – 1UCLarsson (3), Petrov, Sutton, Lambert, Hartson, Valgaeren BBC Sport22 September 2002Dens ParkDundee1 – 0SPLLarssonBBC Sport28 September 2002Celtic ParkKilmarnock5 – 0SPLLarsson (3), Sutton (2)BBC Sport3 October 2002Sūduva stadiumFK Sūduva2 – 0UCFernández, ThompsonBBC Sport6 October 2002Celtic ParkRangers3 – 3SPLSutton, Larsson (2)BBC Sport8 October 2002Adams ParkWycombe Wanderers4 – 0FLarsson (2), Cousins (og), Sylla20 October 2002TynecastleHeart of Midlothian4 – 1SPLSutton, Petrov, Larsson (2)BBC Sport23 October 2002Celtic ParkInverness CT4 – 2SLCMaloney, Thompson, Hartson (2)BBC Sport27 October 2002East End ParkDunfermline4 – 1SPLLarsson, Thompson, Petrov, SuttonBBC Sport31 October 2002Celtic ParkBlackburn Rovers1 – 0UCLarssonBBC Sport3 November 2002Celtic ParkAberdeen7 – 0SPLHartson (4), Larsson, Balde, MaloneyBBC Sport6 November 2002Celtic ParkPartick Thistle1 – 1 (5-4 after extra-time and penalties)SLCThompsonBBC Sport10 November 2002TannadiceDundee United2 – 0SPLHartson, SuttonBBC Sport14 November 2002Ewood ParkBlackburn Rovers2 – 0UCLarsson, SuttonBBC Sport17 November 2002Celtic ParkPartick Thistle4 – 0SPLSutton, Larsson, Petrov (2)BBC Sport24 November 2002Almondvale StadiumLivingston2 – 0SPLLarsson (2)BBC Sport28 November 2002Celtic ParkCelta Vigo1 – 0UCLarssonBBC Sport1 December 2002Celtic ParkMotherwell3 – 1SPLLarsson, Leitch (OG), ValgaerenBBC Sport4 December 2002Easter RoadHibernian1 – 0SPLPetrovBBC Sport7 December 2002IbroxRangers2 – 3SPLSutton, HartsonBBC Sport12 December 2002Estadio BalaídosCelta Vigo1 – 2UCHartsonBBC Sport15 December 2002Rugby ParkKilmarnock1 – 1SPLValgaerenBBC Sport21 December 2002Celtic ParkDundee2 – 0SPLHartson, LarssonBBC Sport26 December 2002Celtic ParkHeart of Midlothian4 – 2SPLHartson (3), LarssonBBC Sport29 December 2002Celtic ParkDunfermline1 – 0SPLLarssonBBC Sport2 January 2003PittodrieAberdeen1 – 1SPLLarssonBBC Sport22 January 2003Celtic ParkFeyenoord2 – 3FriendlyHartson, Sylla25 January 2003Celtic ParkSt Mirren3 – 0SCLarsson, SyllaBBC Sport29 January 2003Celtic ParkDundee United2 – 0SPLHartson, LarssonBBC Sport2 February 2003Firhill StadiumPartick Thistle2 – 0SPLSutton (2)BBC Sport6 February 2003HampdenDundee United3 – 0SLCBalde (2), LarssonBBC Sport9 February 2003Celtic ParkLivingston2 – 1SPLSylla, SuttonBBC Sport20 February 2003Celtic ParkStuttgart3 – 1UCLambert, Maloney, PetrovBBC Sport23 February 2003Celtic ParkSt Johnstone3 – 0SCHartson (2), SmithBBC Sport27 February 2003Gottlieb-Daimler-StadionStuttgart2 – 3UCThompson, SuttonBBC Sport2 March 2003Celtic ParkHibernian3 – 2SPLHartson (2), MjällbyBBC Sport8 March 2003Celtic ParkRangers1 – 0SPLHartsonBBC Sport13 March 2003Celtic ParkLiverpool1 – 1UCLarssonBBC Sport16 March 2003HampdenRangers1 – 2SLCLarssonBBC Sport20 March 2003AnfieldLiverpool2 – 0UCThompson, HartsonBBC Sport23 March 2003Caledonian StadiumInverness CT0 – 1SCBBC Sport6 April 2003Dens ParkDundee1 – 1SPLThompsonBBC Sport10 April 2003Celtic ParkBoavista1 – 1UCLarssonBBC Sport13 April 2003Celtic ParkKilmarnock2 – 0SPLLarsson, PetrovBBC Sport19 April 2003TynecastleHeart of Midlothian1 – 2SPLThompsonBBC Sport24 April 2003Estádio do BessaBoavista1 – 0UCLarssonBBC Sport27 April 2003IbroxRangers2 – 1SPLThompson (pen.), HartsonBBC Sport3 May 2003East End ParkDunfermline Athletic4 – 1SPLLarsson, Petrov (2), Thompson (pen.)BBC Sport7 May 2003Fir ParkMotherwell4 – 0SPLPetrov (2), Lambert (2)BBC Sport10 May 2003Celtic ParkHeart of Midlothian1 – 0SPLThompson (pen.)BBC Sport14 May 2003Celtic ParkDundee6 – 2SPLLarsson, Thompson (2), Maloney (2), MjällbyBBC Sport21 May 2003Estadio Olímpico de SevillaPorto2 – 3UCLarsson (2)BBC Sport25 May 2003Rugby ParkKilmarnock4 – 0SPLSutton (2), Thompson (pen.), PetrovBBC Sport

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition

Team statistics League table

Transfers

In DatePlayerFromFee31 May 2002 David Fernández Livingston 08 £1,000,0001 August 2002 Coventry City 08 £1,500,0001 August 2002 Hibernian 08 £1,500,00024 January 2003 Javier Sánchez Broto Livingston 08 Free18 February 2003 Stanislav Varga Sunderland 08 Free

Out DatePlayerToFee21 May 2002 Hornchurch 08Free21 May 2002 Stockport County 08Free1 June 2002 JEF United Chiba 08Free22 June 2002 Brøndby IF 08Free1 July 2002 St Mirren 08Free7 January 2003 Preston North End 08£130,0009 January 2003 Preston North End 08Free4 February 2003 Clyde 08Free

Expenditure: £4,000,000 Income: £130,000 Total loss/gain: £3,870,000

References