The 2001–02 season saw Leicester City relegated from the FA Premier League (known as the FA Barclaycard Premiership for sponsorship reasons), ending their 6-year run in England's top flight. A tumultuous season amid rising financial issues would see the Foxes go through four managers and suffer relegation to the First Division in April, finishing bottom of the league with 28 points and just five wins all season.
Season summary A terrible start to the season saw the Foxes suffer a 5-0 opening-day home defeat to newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers and Peter Taylor sacked at the end of September and Dave Bassett named as his replacement, with Micky Adams joining as assistant manager. For a while, it looked as though Bassett was capable of keeping the Foxes in the Premiership, but a four-month winless run beginning in December killed their survival hopes and they were relegated on 6 April after losing 1–0 at home to Manchester United.
Just before relegation was confirmed, Bassett became Director of Football and Adams was promoted to the manager's seat, with former Cardiff City boss Alan Cork being named as his assistant.
On 11 May 2002, Leicester played their final game at Filbert Street before moving into their new 32,000-seat home. They ended up beating Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 to attain some satisfaction from winning the final game at their 111-year-old home; it was only their fifth league win of the season. The cost of relocation combined with the money lost from relegation plunged Leicester into a serious financial crisis. The priority for next season would be to secure the club's future financially, before thinking about a promotion challenge.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Leicester City's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 18 August 2001 Bolton WanderersH0–519,987 25 August 2001 ArsenalA0–437,909 8 September 2001 Ipswich TownH1–118,774Sturridge 15 September 2001 Derby CountyA3–226,863Sturridge (2), Izzet (pen) 17 September 2001 MiddlesbroughH1–215,412Jones 22 September 2001 FulhamH0–018,918 26 September 2001 Newcastle UnitedA0–149,185 29 September 2001 Charlton AthleticA0–220,451 13 October 2001 ChelseaA0–240,370 20 October 2001 LiverpoolH1–421,886Wise 29 October 2001 Blackburn RoversA0–021,873 3 November 2001 SunderlandH1–020,573Akinbiyi 17 November 2001 Manchester UnitedA0–267,651 24 November 2001 EvertonH0–021,539 1 December 2001 Aston VillaA2–030,711Akinbiyi, Scowcroft 8 December 2001 SouthamptonH0–420,321 16 December 2001 Leeds UnitedA2–238,337Deane, Scowcroft 22 December 2001 West Ham UnitedH1–120,131Izzet 26 December 2001 Ipswich TownA0–224,403 29 December 2001 Bolton WanderersA2–223,037Ricketts (own goal), Deane 12 January 2002 West Ham UnitedA0–134,698 19 January 2002 Newcastle UnitedH0–021,354 23 January 2002 ArsenalH1–321,344Izzet 30 January 2002 LiverpoolA0–142,305 2 February 2002 ChelseaH2–319,950Scowcroft (2) 9 February 2002 Tottenham HotspurA1–235,973Oakes 23 February 2002 Derby CountyH0–321,620 2 March 2002 MiddlesbroughA0–125,734 9 March 2002 Charlton AthleticH1–118,562Scowcroft 16 March 2002 SouthamptonA2–230,012Deane (2) 23 March 2002 Leeds UnitedH0–218,976 30 March 2002 Blackburn RoversH2–116,236Dickov (2) 1 April 2002 SunderlandA1–244,950Dickov 6 April 2002 Manchester UnitedH0–121,447 13 April 2002 EvertonA2–235,580Deane (2) 20 April 2002 Aston VillaH2–218,125Izzet (pen), Stevenson 27 April 2002 FulhamA0–021,106 11 May 2002 Tottenham HotspurH2–121,716Dickov, Piper
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR35 January 2002 Mansfield TownH2–114,466Scowcroft (2)R426 January 2002 West Bromwich AlbionA0–126,820
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR210 September 2001 BlackpoolA1–04,866AkinbiyiR39 October 2001 Leeds UnitedH0–616,316
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Statistics
Appearances, goals and cards (Starting appearances + substitute appearances)
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with squad numbers struck through and marked left the club during the playing season. Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Leicester.
No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Tim Flowers3+1000003+10002DF Gary Rowett9+20001010+20303DF Frank Sinclair33+20102036+20804DF Gerry Taggart0+1000000+10005DF Alan Rogers9+40200011+40106MF Muzzy Izzet29+24202033+241017MF Matt Jones6+41101+108+51008MF Robbie Savage350102038015010FW James Scowcroft21+35121023+374011MF Dennis Wise15+21101017+216113MF Arnar Gunnlaugsson0+2000000+200014DF Callum Davidson29+100+101+1030+304015DF Damien Delaney2+1000103+102016GK Ian Walker35020203900017MF Stefan Oakes16+51100017+512018DF Matt Elliott31010203405120FW Trevor Benjamin4+70100+105+802021DF Jacob Laursen10000001001021FW Dean Sturridge8+1300109+130022FW Ade Akinbiyi16+521+101118+633022FW Paul Dickov11+14000011+145023MF Jordan Stewart9+30201012+303024MF Andy Impey20+70200+2022+903025MF Junior Lewis4+2000105+201126MF Lee Marshall29+60201032+603127FW Brian Deane13+26100014+262028DF Matt Heath3+200+10003+300029FW Matt Piper14+210+101015+310032FW Jon Stevenson0+6100000+610033MF Martin Reeves1+4000001+401035DF Jon Ashton3+4000003+400036FW Tommy Wright0+1000000+100038MF Tom Williamson0+1000000+1000
Assists Rank Player Assists 1 Callum Davidson 3 2 Matt Elliott Stefan Oakes Robbie Savage James Scowcroft 2 3 Ade Akinbiyi Brian Deane Paul Dickov Andy Impey Muzzy Izzet Matt Piper Alan Rogers Jordan Stewart 1
Transfers
In DatePosNameFromFee25 June 2001MF Dennis WiseChelsea£1,600,0009 July 2001GK Ian WalkerTottenham Hotspur£2,500,00031 July 2001FW James ScowcroftIpswich Town£3,000,00016 November 2001DF Alan RogersNottingham Forest£300,00029 November 2001FW Brian DeaneMiddlesbrough£150,00010 January 2002DF Jacob LaursenCopenhagen£400,00022 February 2002FW Paul DickovManchester CityNominal
Out DatePosNameToFee30 May 2001MF Stuart CampbellGrimsby Town£200,00022 June 2001FW Lawrie DudfieldHull City£250,00013 July 2001FW Richard CresswellPreston North End£500,0002 August 2001MF Steve GuppyCeltic£350,00029 November 2001FW Kevin EllisonStockport County£55,00024 December 2001FW Dean SturridgeWolverhampton Wanderers£350,0005 February 2002FW Ade AkinbiyiCrystal Palace£2,200,00012 February 2002MF Danny ThomasBournemouthFree12 May 2002DF Gary RowettCharlton Athletic£3,500,000
Transfers in: £7,950,000 Transfers out: £7,405,000 Total spending: £545,000
Loan out
DatePosNameClubReturnRef 26 October 2001 GK Tim Flowers Stockport County 26 November 2001 15 November 2001 DF Damien Delaney Stockport County 11 February 2002 20 November 2001 MF Matt Piper Mansfield Town 31 December 2001 23 November 2001 FW Dean Sturridge Wolverhampton Wanderers 23 December 2001 19 December 2001 FW Trevor Benjamin Crystal Palace 21 January 2002 24 December 2001 GK Simon Royce Brighton & Hove Albion 25 January 2002 7 February 2002 MF Junior Lewis Brighton & Hove Albion 21 April 2002 8 February 2002 FW Trevor Benjamin Norwich City 13 March 2002 19 February 2002 GK Tim Flowers Coventry City 19 March 2002 22 February 2002 FW Arnar Gunnlaugsson Stoke City End of the season 15 March 2002 GK Simon Royce Manchester City 22 April 2002 27 March 2002 FW Trevor Benjamin West Bromwich Albion 22 April 2002 28 March 2002 DF Jacob Laursen Wolverhampton Wanderers 24 April 2002 28 March 2002 DF Damien Delaney Huddersfield Town 2 May 2002
Awards
Club awards At the end of the season, Leicester's annual award ceremony, including categories voted for by the players and backroom staff, the supporters and the supporters club, saw the following players recognised for their achievements for the club throughout the 2001–02 season.
Player of the Season Robbie SavagePlayers' Player of the Season Frank SinclairAcademy Player of the Season Matt PiperAway Player of the Season Robbie SavageMost Improved Player of the Season Matt PiperGoal of the Season James Scowcroft (vs. Leeds United, 16 December 2001)Save of the Season Ian Walker (vs. Blackburn Rovers, 30 March 2002)Team Performance of the Season vs. Derby County at Pride Park Stadium (15 September 2001)
Notes
References