During the 2002–03 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League Second Division. Despite an unbeaten start and topping the table, the club won just four of the final 21 matches of the season and slumped to a 16th-place finish.
Season summary
After defeat in the 2002 Second Division play-off final, the spine of the Brentford starting XI was broken up, with high earners Ívar Ingimarsson, Lloyd Owusu and captain Paul Evans released. Manager Steve Coppell resigned in June 2002 and was replaced by his assistant, Wally Downes. The squad was reinforced with free transfer and non-contract players. The loss of forwards Lloyd Owusu and the return of loanee Ben Burgess to Blackburn Rovers led to the loan signing of youngster Rowan Vine from Portsmouth and a chance for Mark McCammon as a first-choice. A number of youth products were also promoted to the first team squad.
Throughout the season, a need to balance the books in the wake of the ITV Digital collapse saw no transfer fees paid out and a reduction of the wage bill. The cash crisis heightened in the week leading up to the beginning of the season, when a deadline of 7 August 2002 was set, on which Griffin Park would be sold to developers George Wimpey or if the deal fell through, Brentford would be entered into administration. The deal hit a stumbling block, but administration was staved off by the £400,000 sale of central defender Darren Powell on the eve of the season. The financial state of affairs left Brentford £4 million in debt and led Managing Director Gary Hargreaves to state that the club would "have to sell the freehold of Griffin Park without any guarantee of a return to the borough in the near future". In September 2002, Richard Thompson's £7 million bid to buy the club was turned down by supporters' trust Bees United.
Despite the turmoil, rookie manager Downes had a dream start, going unbeaten for the first seven league matches of the season, topping the table and winning the Manager of the Month award. The rot set in mid-September, with the Bees losing five of six matches, which included heavy successive defeats to Peterborough United in the league and Middlesbrough in the League Cup. The team began to recover in mid-October, losing just four of the following 17 matches, including two wins in the Football League Trophy and three in the FA Cup, with First Division Derby County being beaten at Griffin Park in the FA Cup third round on 4 January 2003.
Brentford limped through the remainder of the season, winning just four and losing 13 of the remaining 24 matches of the season. The goalscoring problem was compounded by the release of Mark McCammon on deadline day in March. Absences due to injuries and international call-ups also mounted, with Martin Rowlands, Leo Roget, Jay Smith, Stephen Evans, Jamie Fullarton and Eddie Hutchinson all spending time on the treatment table. Also in March, Ron Noades resigned as chairman and director, citing that "the death of the transfer market has prevented us from covering our trading losses incurred at Griffin Park" and revealing that the wage bill would be slashed from £706,000 for the 2002–03 season to £476,000 for 2003–04. Eddie Rogers was appointed as chairman in April 2003. Brentford finished the season in 16th place.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes13 July 2002Aldershot TownN0–1n/a14 July 2002DarlingtonN0–1n/a16 July 2002WatfordH1–01,595Somner20 July 2002Maidenhead UnitedA2–0n/aHutchinson, Peters23 July 2002Crawley TownA6–0604Constantine (3, 1 pen), Dobson, O'Connor (pen), McCammon30 July 2002MoleseyA2–5n/aDiallo, Itonga31 July 2002Ipswich TownH0–31,6833 August 2002MillwallA1–2n/aHunt
Football League Second Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)110 August 2002Huddersfield TownA2–09,635Fullarton, Vine213 August 2002Bristol CityH1–07,130Hunt (pen)317 August 2002Oldham AthleticH0–05,356424 August 2002Colchester UnitedA1–03,135Hunt (pen)526 August 2002Swindon TownH3–16,299Vine (2), McCammon631 August 2002Notts CountyA2–25,551McCammon, Williams77 September 2002Luton TownH0–07,145814 September 2002Tranmere RoversA1–36,626O'Connor917 September 2002Cardiff CityA2–012,0321021 September 2002Wycombe WanderersH1–06,172Hunt (pen)1128 September 2002Peterborough UnitedA1–55,066Vine125 October 2002BarnsleyH1–25,394McCammon1312 October 2002Northampton TownA2–15,739Sonko, Vine1419 October 2002Port ValeH1–15,177Hunt (pen)1526 October 2002Stockport CountyA3–24,601McCammon (2), Marshall1629 October 2002Plymouth ArgyleH0–06,431172 November 2002BlackpoolH5–05,888Vine, Evans (2), Sonko (2)189 November 2002Crewe AlexandraA1–25,663Sonko1923 November 2002Wigan AthleticH0–15,4542030 November 2002Cheltenham TownA0–15,0132114 December 2002ChesterfieldH2–15,151Hunt, Vine2221 December 2002Queens Park RangersA1–115,559O'Connor2326 December 2002Swindon TownA1–26,045Vine2428 December 2004Mansfield TownH1–05,844O'Connor2514 January 2003Oldham AthleticA1–25,039O'Connor2618 January 2003Notts CountyH1–15,112Vine274 February 2003Mansfield TownA0–03,735288 February 2003Crewe AlexandraH1–25,424Hunt2911 February 2003Bristol CityA0–09,0843015 February 2003BlackpoolA0–16,2033122 February 2003Luton TownA1–06,940Vine3225 February 2003Huddersfield TownH1–04,366McCammon331 March 2003Tranmere RoversH1–25,396Sonko344 March 2003Cardiff CityH0–25,727358 March 2003Wycombe WanderersA0–45,9303611 March 2003Colchester UnitedH1–13,990McCammon3715 March 2003Stockport CountyH1–24,790Antoine-Curier3818 March 2003Port ValeA0–13,2413922 March 2003Plymouth ArgyleA0–36,8354029 March 2003Northampton TownH3–05,354Somner, Rowlands, Hunt415 April 2003Cheltenham TownH2–25,011Dobson, O'Connor4212 April 2003Wigan AthleticA0–27,2044319 April 2003Queens Park RangersH1–29,168Peters4421 April 2003ChesterfieldA2–03,296Antoine-Curier (2)4526 April 2003BarnsleyA0–19,065463 May 2003Peterborough UnitedH1–16,687Evans
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R116 November 2002Wycombe WanderersA4–25,673O'Connor, Somner, Vine (2)R27 December 2002York CityA2–13,517McCammon, HuntR34 January 2003Derby CountyH1–08,709HuntR425 January 2003BurnleyH0–39,563
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R110 September 2002BournemouthA3–3 , won 4–2 on pens)3,302O'Connor (2 pens), VineR21 October 2002MiddlesbroughH1–47,558Sonko
Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)SR212 November 2002Plymouth ArgyleA1–03,565HuntSQF10 December 2002Kidderminster HarriersH2–11,541Marshall, O'ConnorSSF21 January 2003Cambridge UnitedH1–2 2,878McCammon Sources: Soccerbase, 11v11
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2002–03 season. No Position Name Nationality Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepers13GKPaul SmithCarshalton Athletic200022GKAlan JulianYouth200133GKBarry MarchenaYouth2002Defenders2DF Michael Dobson (c) Youth19996DFScott MarshallSouthampton199914DFMatt SomnerYouth200115DFJay Lovett Crawley Town2000Loaned to Hereford United and Gravesend & Northfleet16DFLee FieldwickYouth200021DFDanny Allen-PageYouth200229DFLeo RogetStockport County200230DFAndy FramptonCrystal Palace200231DFIbrahima SonkoGrenoble Foot 382002Midfielders4MFJay Smith Youth20017MFStephen EvansCrystal Palace20028MFMark Williams Youth20009MFKevin O'ConnorYouth200010MFStephen Hunt Crystal Palace2001 11MFMartin RowlandsFarnborough Town199812MFJay Tabb Crystal Palace2000Loaned to Crawley Town18MFEddie HutchinsonSutton United200020MFRizwan Rehman Youth200225MFStephen HughesYouth200228MFJamie FullartonDundee United2002Forwards19FWMark Peters Southampton2002 23 FWLloyd Blackman Youth200224FWBobby TraynorYouth200326FWLeon Constantine Millwall2002 27FWRowan VinePortsmouth2002On loan from Portsmouth34FWMickaël Antoine-CurierNottingham Forest2003On loan from Nottingham ForestPlayers who left the club mid-season1GKÓlafur GottskálkssonHibernian2000Retired3DFIjah AndersonSouthend United1995Loaned to Wycombe Wanderers and Bristol RoversTransferred to Bristol Rovers17FWMark McCammonCharlton Athletic2000Transferred to Millwall32DFBen ChorleyArsenal2002Returned to Arsenal after loan Source: Soccerbase
Coaching staff NameRole Wally DownesManager Garry ThompsonAssistant Manager Jim StannardFirst Team Coach Roberto ForzoniCoach Phil McLoughlinPhysiotherapist Colin MartinMedical Officer John GriffinChief Scout
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. NoPosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals2DFMichael Dobson45 (1)140202053 (1)03DFIjah Anderson900020001104MFJay Smith24 (2)020002 (1)028 (3)06DFScott Marshall23 (2)140103131 (2)27MFStephen Evans20 (3)3301 (1)02025 (4)38MFMark Williams4 (18)10 (1)00 (1)0105 (20)19MFKevin O'Connor45 (1)541222153 (1)910MFStephen Hunt42 (1)7421 (1)02149 (2)1011MFMartin Rowlands13 (5)120002017 (5)112MFJay Tabb1 (4)00 (1)0001 (1)02 (6)014DFMatt Somner40 (1)11 (2)10 (1)01042 (4)215DFJay Lovett100000001016DFLee Fieldwick6 (1)00000006 (1)017FWMark McCammon31 (5)731101136 (5)918MFEddie Hutchinson21 (2)000200 (1)023 (3)019FWMark Peters3 (8)10 (1)000003 (9)122GKAlan Julian300000104023FWLloyd Blackman100000001024FWBobby Traynor0 (2)000000 (1)00 (3)025MFStephen Hughes2 (1)01 (1)0000 (1)03 (3)026FWLeon Constantine2 (15)0001 (1)0003 (16)028MFJamie Fullarton23 (5)110202028 (5)129DFLeo Roget15010101018030DFAndy Frampton9 (6)030—3015 (6)031DFIbrahima Sonko385402120466Players loaned in during the season27FWRowan Vine38 (5)10321 (1)13045 (6)1332DFBen Chorley20—10—3034FWMickaël Antoine-Curier113———113 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Goalscorers NoPosNatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTTotal27FWRowan Vine102101310MFStephen Hunt72011017FWMark McCammon710199MFKevin O'Connor5121931DFIbrahima Sonko5010634FWMickaël Antoine-Curier3———37MFStephen Evans300036MFScott Marshall1001214DFMatt Somner110022DFMichael Dobson1000128MFJamie Fullarton1000119FWMark Peters1000111MFMartin Rowlands100017MFMark Williams10001Total4774462 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Discipline NoPosNatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTTotalPts27FWRowan Vine910010001011328MFJamie Fullarton5200100062127MFStephen Evans3011000041729DFLeo Roget2100101041731DFIbrahima Sonko6000000060630DFAndy Frampton201100003166MFScott Marshall2110000031611MFMartin Rowlands5000000050510MFStephen Hunt4010000050517FWMark McCammon401000005054MFJay Smith2010000030319FWMark Peters0100000001318MFEddie Hutchinson2000000020214DFMatt Somner200000002029MFKevin O'Connor1010000020234FWMickaël Antoine-Curier10———10112MFJay Tabb100000001012DFMichael Dobson00100000101Total51672301062886 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: ESPN FC
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Wally Downes10 August 20023 May 2003 |
Summary Games played 55 (46 Second Division, 4 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy)Games won 19 (14 Second Division, 3 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)Games drawn 13 (12 Second Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Games lost 23 (20 Second Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Goals scored 62 (47 Second Division, 7 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy)Goals conceded 72 (56 Second Division, 6 FA Cup, 7 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy)Clean sheets 17 (15 Second Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Blackpool, 2 November 2002Worst league defeat 4–0 versus Wycombe Wanderers, 8 March 2003; 5–1 versus Peterborough United, 28 September 2002Most appearances 54, Michael Dobson & Kevin O'Connor (each 46 Second Division, 4 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)Top scorer (league) 10, Rowan VineTop scorer (all competitions) 13, Rowan Vine
Transfers & loans