During the 2002–03 English football season, Ipswich Town competed in the First Division, following relegation from the FA Premier League the previous season. Despite being relegated, Ipswich Town had achieved UEFA Cup qualification for the second season running, this time via the UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking.
Season summary The financial cost of relegation the previous season saw Ipswich enter administration on 10 February. The financial problems had caused the sale of both key players like Marcus Stewart and promising young players like Titus Bramble and Darren Ambrose, leading to poor results on the pitch that left Ipswich struggling near the relegation zone. A 3–0 defeat at fellow strugglers Grimsby Town proved to be the final straw and manager George Burley was sacked in October. First team coach and former Ipswich player Tony Mowbray took charge of the next four games, winning one, before being replaced by Joe Royle - a former player for Town's archrivals Norwich City. Royle turned Town's fortunes around considerably and they finished in 7th place, 4 points off the playoff places.
In the League Cup, Ipswich reached the fourth round before being knocked out by eventual winners Liverpool 5–4 on penalties, after Tommy Miller's strike in the fourteenth minute was cancelled out by El Hadji Diouf's 54th-minute penalty.
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Pre-season Ipswich went on a pre-season tour of Denmark in July as part of the pre-season for the 2002–03 season.
Legend WinDrawLoss
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 16 July 2002 AaBA0–1Unknown 18 July 2002 NordsjællandA1–2UnknownArmstrong 24 July 2002 Bristol RoversA2–1UnknownAmbrose, D Bent 27 July 2002 Bristol CityA3–0UnknownD Bent, Miller (2) (pen) 29 July 2002BarnetA2–1UnknownCouñago (2) 31 July 2002 BrentfordA3–0UnknownGeorge, Stewart (2) 3 August 2002 Celta VigoH2–1UnknownAmbrose (2)
Competitions Football League First Division
League table
Legend WinDrawLoss Ipswich Town's score comes first
Matches DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 10 August 2002 Walsall A 2–0 5,253 Ambrose, M Bent 18 August 2002 Leicester City H 6–1 27,374 Holland (2), Ambrose, George, Couñago (2) 24 August 2002 Millwall A 1–1 8,097 D Bent 26 August 2002 Bradford City H 1–2 25,457 D Bent 1 September 2002 Preston North End A 0–0 15,357 15 September 2002 Norwich City H 1–1 29,112 Couñago 22 September 2002 Stoke City A 1–2 14,587 Holland 28 September 2002 Derby County H 0–1 24,439 6 October 2002 Wimbledon A 1–0 3,238 Ambrose 8 October 2002 Grimsby Town A 0–3 4,688 12 October 2002 Sheffield Wednesday H 2–1 23,410 Couñago (2) 19 October 2002 Reading A 1–3 19,524 Ambrose 22 October 2002 Burnley H 2–2 22,736 McGreal, Ambrose 26 October 2002 Gillingham H 0–1 24,176 3 November 2002 Crystal Palace H 1–2 24,941 Ambrose 9 November 2002 Sheffield United A 0–0 15,884 17 November 2002 Watford A 2–0 16,184 Armstrong, Clapham 23 November 2002 Coventry City H 2–1 23,633 D Bent, Couñago 30 November 2002 Nottingham Forest A 1–2 24,898 Williams (o.g) 7 December 2002 Rotherham United H 1–2 22,770 Wilnis 10 December 2002 Brighton & Hove Albion A 1–1 6,377 Magilton 14 December 2002 Watford H 4–2 22,985 Miller, Naylor, Couñago, Bent 21 December 2002 Portsmouth A 1–1 19,130 Gaardsøe 26 December 2002 Leicester City A 2–1 31,426 Gaardsøe, Ambrose 28 December 2002 Walsall H 3–2 26,550 Couñago (2), Gaardsøe 1 January 2003 Millwall H 4–1 26,040 Miller (2), Wright, M Bent 11 January 2003 Burnley A 1–1 15,501 Couñago 18 January 2003 Preston North End H 3–0 24,666 M Bent, D Bent (2) 1 February 2003 Bradford City A 0–2 12,080 8 February 2003 Sheffield United H 3–2 26,151 D Bent (2), Ambrose 19 February 2003 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–4 27,700 M Bent, Holland 22 February 2003 Grimsby Town H 2–2 24,118 D Bent 2 March 2003 Norwich City A 2–0 21,243 Wilnis, D Bent 5 March 2003 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–1 26,901 Naylor 8 March 2003 Stoke City H 0–0 25,547 11 March 2003 Crystal Palace A 1–1 15,990 M Bent 15 March 2003 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–0 24,726 Holland 18 March 2003 Reading H 3–1 24,108 Gaardsøe, Holland, Magilton 22 March 2003 Brighton & Hove Albion H 2–2 26,078 M Bent, Reuser 29 March 2003 Gillingham A 3–1 8,508 Couñago (2), M Bent 5 April 2003 Nottingham Forest H 3–4 29,503 Miller (2) (pen), M Bent 12 April 2003 Coventry City A 4–2 13,968 M Bent (2), Couñago (2) 18 April 2003 Portsmouth H 3–0 29,396 Reuser, Miller, Couñago 21 April 2003 Rotherham United A 1–2 7,519 Couñago 26 April 2003 Wimbledon H 1–5 25,564 D Bent 4 May 2003 Derby County A 4–1 28,785 Couñago, D Bent, Magilton, Holland
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers R3 4 January 2003 Morecambe H 4–0 18,529 Clapham, D Bent (2), Ambrose R4 25 January 2003 Sheffield United A 3–4 12,757 Gaardsøe, Miller (pen), Bent
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers R3 24 September 2002 Brighton & Hove Albion H 3–1 13,266 D Bent, Couñago, Ambrose R4 6 November 2002 Middlesbrough H 3–1 14,417 Gaardsøe, Clapham, D Bent R5 4 December 2002 Liverpool A 1–1 (lost 4–5 on pens) 26,305 Miller
UEFA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers QR First Leg 15 August 2002 Avenir Beggen A 1–1 12,000 Stewart QR Second Leg 29 August 2002 Avenir Beggen H 8–1 (won 9–2 on agg) 17,462 Miller (2), Couñago (3), Brown, McGreal, Ambrose R1 First Leg 19 September 2002 Smederevo H 1–1 16,933 Alun Armstrong R1 Second Leg 3 October 2002 Smederevo A 1–0 (won 2–1 on agg) 16,500 M Bent (pen) R2 First Leg 31 October 2002 Slovan Liberec H 1–0 16,138 D Bent R2 Second Leg 14 November 2002 Slovan Liberec A 0–1 (1–1 on agg, lost 2–4 on pens) 6,509
Transfers Loans in Date fromPosNameFromDate untilRef15 November 2002GK Paul Gerrard Everton13 December 2002
Transfers out DatePosNameToFeeRef1 July 2002DF Will Snowdon LivingstonFree transfer1 July 2002MF Ashley Nicholls DarlingtonFree transfer12 July 2002DF Titus Bramble Newcastle United£5,000,00030 August 2002FW Marcus Stewart Sunderland£3,250,00030 October 2002GK Keith BranaganRetired18 December 2002DF Wayne Brown WatfordFree transfer10 January 2003DF Jamie Clapham Birmingham City£1,300,00020 January 2003FW Richard Logan Boston UnitedFree transfer31 January 2003DF Justin Miller Leyton OrientFree transfer11 March 2003FW Steve Burton Doncaster RoversFree transfer24 March 2003MF Darren Ambrose Newcastle UnitedUndisclosed27 March 2003DF Hermann Hreiðarsson Charlton Athletic£900,000
Loans out Date fromPosNameFromDate untilRef18 July 2002GK Matteo Sereni Brescia30 June 20036 August 2002FW Steve Burton Boston united6 October 200229 August 2002MF Ulrich Le Pen Strasbourg1 June 200313 September 2002DF Justin Miller Leyton Orient17 December 200216 September 2002DF Erdem Artun Doncaster Rovers16 October 200229 November 2002FW Richard Logan Boston United19 January 200326 March 2003DF Lee Beevers Boston United4 May 200326 March 2003MF Robert Dickinson Boston United4 May 2003
Squad statistics All statistics updated as of end of season
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Goalscorers No.PosNatPlayerFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupUEFA CupTotal9FW Pablo Couñago170132118FW Darren Bent123211816FW Marcus Bent110011222MF Darren Ambrose81111121MF Tommy Miller6112108MF Matt Holland7000723DF Thomas Gaardsøe411173DF Jamie Clapham111037MF Jim Magilton3000317DF Wayne Brown00100DF Fabian Wilnis200024DF John McGreal1001210FW Alun Armstrong1001212DF Richard Naylor2000230MF Martijn Reuser2000211FW Marcus Stewart0001114MF Jermaine Wright1000119MF Finidi George10001Own goal10001Total807713107
Clean sheets No.NatPlayerFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupUEFA CupTotal1Andy Marshall91021231Paul Gerrard10001Total1010213
Disciplinary record No.Pos.NameFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupUEFA CupTotal 1GK Andy Marshall10000010202DF Fabian Wilnis30000000303DF Jamie Clapham10001000204DF John McGreal30000020505DF Hermann Hreiðarsson51000000516DF Mark Venus30000000307MF Jim Magilton30000000308MF Matt Holland30000000309FW Pablo Couñago520000106214MF Jermaine Wright100000001015DF Chris Makin810000008116FW Marcus Bent201000003018FW Darren Ambrose100000001019MF Finidi George000000101021MF Tommy Miller301000004022MF Darren Ambrose200000002023DF Thomas Gaardsøe501000208030MF Martijn Reuser1000000010Total504301070614
Starting 11 Considering starts in all competitions
3–5–2 Formation
Awards Player awards AwardPlayerRefPlayer of the Year Matt HollandPlayers' Player of the Year Pablo CouñagoYoung Player of the Year Darren Bent
References