2002–03 Nottingham Forest F.C. season

During the 2002–03 English football season, Nottingham Forest competed in the Football League First Division.

Nottingham Forest

2002–03 season
Chairman	Nigel Doughty
Manager	Paul Hart
Stadium	City Ground
First Division	6th
Play-offs	Semi-finals
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Second round
Top goalscorer	League: David Johnson (25) All: David Johnson (29)
Home colours Away colours Third colours
← 2001–02 2003–04 →

Season summary

Nottingham Forest rebounded from the previous season's disappointment to finish 6th in the First Division, setting up a play-off with third-placed Sheffield United. Forest were beaten 5–4 on aggregate over two epic semi-final legs, consigning the club to another season in English football's second tier.

Final league table

Main article: 2002–03 Football League First Division

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
4	Reading	46	25	4	17	61	46	+15	79	Qualification for First Division Playoffs
5	Wolverhampton Wanderers (O, P)	46	20	16	10	81	44	+37	76
6	Nottingham Forest	46	20	14	12	82	50	+32	74
7	Ipswich Town	46	19	13	14	80	64	+16	70
8	Norwich City	46	19	12	15	60	49	+11	69

Updated to match(es) played on 11 May 2003. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

First-team squad

Squad at end of season^[1]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  WAL Darren Ward 2 DF  FRA Matthieu Louis-Jean 3 DF  CAN Jim Brennan 4 DF  ENG Des Walker 5 DF  NOR Jon Olav Hjelde 6 MF  ENG Riccardo Scimeca 7 MF  ENG Darren Huckerby (on loan from Manchester City) 8 MF  SCO Gareth Williams 9 FW  JAM David Johnson 10 FW  ENG Jack Lester 11 FW  ENG Marlon Harewood 12 GK  IRL Barry Roche 14 DF  SCO Chris Doig 15 DF  IRL John Thompson 16 MF  GER Eugen Bopp 17 DF  ENG Michael Dawson

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 MF  IRL Brian Cash 19 FW  ENG Craig Westcarr 20 MF  IRL Andy Reid 21 DF  BEL Davy Oyen 22 MF  SCO Eoin Jess 23 MF  FRA Benjamin Gavanon (on loan from Marseille) 27 MF  ENG Matt Bodkin 28 DF  ENG James Biggins 29 FW  ENG Richard Jeffrey 31 GK  GER Pascal Formann 32 DF  ENG Tony Vaughan 33 DF  WAL Christian Edwards 34 FW  FRA Mickael Antoine-Curier 35 DF  SCO Gregor Robertson 36 DF  ENG Wes Morgan

Left club during season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 7 MF  ENG David Prutton (to Southampton) 21 FW  ENG Gary Jones (to Tranmere Rovers) 23 DF  ENG Marcus Hall (to Southampton)

No. Pos. Nation Player 30 MF  ENG Keith Foy (to Doncaster Rovers) 34 FW  IRL David Freeman

Appearances

• Playoff stats are included under Division 1.

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division 1		FA Cup		Worthington Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	WAL	Darren Ward	50	0	47	0	1	0	2	0
2	DF	FRA	Matthieu Louis-Jean	45	1	43	1	1	0	1	0
3	DF	CAN	Jim Brennan	49	1	47	1	1	0	1	0
4	DF	ENG	Des Walker	33	0	31+2	0	0	0	0	0
5	DF	NOR	Jon Olav Hjelde	29	0	19+8	0	1	0	+1	0
6	MF	ENG	Riccardo Scimeca	45	4	42	3	1	0	2	1
7	MF	ENG	David Prutton	26	1	24	1	1	0	1	0
7	FW	ENG	Darren Huckerby	11	5	11	5	0	0	0	0
8	MF	SCO	Gareth Williams	43	3	41+1	3	0	0	1	0
9	FW	ENG	David Johnson	47	29	42+2	27	1	0	2	2
10	MF	ENG	Jack Lester	35	9	20+14	7	0	0	1	2
11	FW	ENG	Marlon Harewood	49	21	44+2	20	1	1	2	0
12	GK	IRL	Barry Roche	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
14	DF	SCO	Chris Doig	13	0	4+6	0	1	0	2	0
15	DF	IRL	John Thompson	25	3	19+3	3	1	0	1+1	0
16	MF	GER	Eugen Bopp	15	2	10+3	2	0	0	2	0
17	DF	ENG	Michael Dawson	42	5	39	5	1	0	2	0
18	MF	IRL	Brian Cash	2	0	+1	0	0	0	+1	0
19	FW	ENG	Craig Westcarr	13	1	2+9	1	0	0	1+1	0
20	MF	IRL	Andy Reid	35	3	24+8	2	1	1	1+1	0
21	DF	BEL	Davy Oyen	4	0	+4	0	0	0	0	0
22	MF	SCO	Eoin Jess	33	3	17+15	3	0	0	+1	0
23	DF	ENG	Marcus Hall	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
23	MF	FRA	Benjamin Gavanon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
27	MF	ENG	Matt Bodkin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
28	DF	ENG	James Biggins	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
29	FW	ENG	Richard Jeffrey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
30	DF	IRL	Keith Foy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
31	GK	GER	Pascal Formann	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
32	DF	ENG	Tony Vaughan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
33	DF	WAL	Christian Edwards	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
34	FW	FRA	Mickael Antoine-Curier	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
35	DF	SCO	Gregor Robertson	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
36	DF	ENG	Wes Morgan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Results

Win

Draw

Loss

Football League First Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
10 August 2002	Portsmouth	A	0–2	18,910
14 August 2002	Preston North End	H	2-2	18,065	Johnson, Jess
17 August 2002	Sheffield Wednesday	H	4–0	21,129	Harewood, Lester, Scimeca (2)
24 August 2002	Walsall	A	1–2	5,096	Prutton
28 August 2002	Wimbledon	H	2–0	16,431	Johnson (2)
31 August 2002	Coventry City	A	1–0	13,732	Scimeca
14 September 2002	Watford	H	0–1	17,865
18 September 2002	Gillingham	H	4–1	16,073	Harewood (3), Johnson
21 September 2002	Grimsby Town	A	3–0	7,072	Johnson (3)
25 September 2002	Stoke City	A	2–2	14,554	Dawson, Johnson
28 September 2002	Rotherham United	H	3–2	25,089	Johnson (2), Bopp
5 October 2002	Millwall	A	2–1	10,521	Johnson (2)
20 October 2002	Derby County	A	0–0	30,547
26 October 2002	Leicester City	H	2–2	29,497	Johnson, Lester
29 October 2002	Norwich City	A	0–0	20,986
2 November 2002	Sheffield United	H	3–0	22,579	Lester (2), Johnson
9 November 2002	Crystal Palace	A	0–0	18,971
16 November 2002	Bradford City	H	3–0	19,653	Lester, Johnson, Louis-Jean
23 November 2002	Wolves	A	1–2	27,953	Harewood
27 November 2002	Brighton	H	3–2	29,137	Harewood, Johnson, Lester
30 November 2002	Ipswich Town	H	2–0	24,898	Johnson (2),
7 December 2002	Burnley	A	0–1	13,869
14 December 2002	Bradford City	A	0–1	12,245
21 December 2002	Reading	H	2–0	25,831	Johnson, Harewood,
26 December 2002	Sheffield Wednesday	A	0–2	26,362
28 December 2002	Portsmouth	H	1–2	28,165	Dawson
1 January 2003	Walsall	H	1–1	28,441	Thompson
18 January 2003	Coventry City	H	1–1	24,487	Williams
25 January 2003	Preston North End	A	1–1	13,508	Johnson
1 February 2003	Wimbledon	A	3–2	3,382	Harewood (2), Johnson,
8 February 2003	Crystal Palace	H	2–1	26,012	Dawson, Harewood
22 February 2003	Stoke City	H	6–0	24,085	Harewood (4), Johnson, Jess
1 March 2003	Watford	A	1–1	17,934	Huckerby
4 March 2003	Gillingham	A	4–1	7,277	Huckerby (2), Harewood, Thompson
10 March 2003	Grimsby Town	H	2–2	25,507	Reid, Williams
15 March 2003	Brighton	A	0–1	6,830
19 March 2003	Derby County	H	3–0	29,725	Harewood (2), Huckerby
22 March 2003	Norwich City	H	4–0	27,296	Huckerby, Harewood, Williams, Brennan
5 April 2003	Ipswich Town	A	4–3	29,503	Harewood (2), Thompson, OG
8 April 2003	Leicester City	A	0–1	32,065
11 April 2003	Wolves	H	2–2	27,209	Johnson, Dawson
15 April 2003	Sheffield United	A	0-1	23,317
18 April 2003	Reading	A	0–1	21,612
21 April 2003	Burnley	H	2–0	25,403	Dawson, Johnson
26 April 2003	Millwall	H	3–3	29,763	Jess, Bopp, Johnson
4 May 2003	Rotherham United	A	2–2	9,942	Lester, Westcarr

Play Offs

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
10 May 2003	Sheffield United	H	1–1	29,064	Johnson
15 May 2003	Sheffield United	A	4–3	24,477	Johnson, Reid, OG

FA Cup

Main article: 2002–03 FA Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R3	4 January 2003	West Ham United	A	2–3	11,843	Reid, Harewood

League Cup

Main article: 2002–03 Football League Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1	11 September 2002	Kidderminster Harriers	H	4–0	4,950	Lester (2), Johnson, Scimeca
R2	2 October 2002	Walsall	A	1–2	4,477	Johnson