| Season | 1902–03 |
|---|---|
| Champions | The Wednesday |
| Relegated | Doncaster Rovers |
1903–04 → | |
The1902–03 season was the 15th season ofThe Football League.
Beginning in the 1894–95 season, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.
During the first six seasons of the league, (up to the 1893–94 season), re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.
| Season | 1902–03 |
|---|---|
| Champions | The Wednesday 1stEnglish title |
| Relegated | Grimsby Town Bolton Wanderers |
| Matches | 306 |
| Goals | 885 (2.89 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Sam Raybould (31 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Aston Villa 7–0Newcastle United (29 November 1902) Liverpool 9–2Grimsby Town (6 December 1902) |
| Biggest away win | Nottingham Forest 1–4The Wednesday (1 November 1902) |
| Highest scoring | Liverpool 9–2Grimsby Town (6 December 1902) |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches West Bromwich Albion |
| Longest unbeaten run | 13 matches Sunderland |
| Longest losing run | 10 matches Bolton Wanderers |
| Highest attendance | 50,000 Aston Villa 0–3West Bromwich Albion (1 November 1902) |
| Lowest attendance | 500 Derby County 2–2Grimsby Town (22 April 1903) |
| Average attendance | 11,656 |
1903–04 → | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Wednesday(C) | 34 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 54 | 36 | 1.500 | 42 | |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 34 | 19 | 3 | 12 | 61 | 40 | 1.525 | 41 | |
| 3 | Sunderland | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 51 | 36 | 1.417 | 41 | |
| 4 | Sheffield United | 34 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 58 | 44 | 1.318 | 39 | |
| 5 | Liverpool | 34 | 17 | 4 | 13 | 68 | 49 | 1.388 | 38 | |
| 6 | Stoke | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 46 | 38 | 1.211 | 37 | |
| 7 | West Bromwich Albion | 34 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 54 | 53 | 1.019 | 36 | |
| 8 | Bury | 34 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 54 | 43 | 1.256 | 35 | |
| 9 | Derby County | 34 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 50 | 47 | 1.064 | 35 | |
| 10 | Nottingham Forest | 34 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 49 | 47 | 1.043 | 35 | |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 34 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 48 | 57 | 0.842 | 33 | |
| 12 | Everton | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 45 | 47 | 0.957 | 32 | |
| 13 | Middlesbrough | 34 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 41 | 50 | 0.820 | 32 | |
| 14 | Newcastle United | 34 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 41 | 51 | 0.804 | 32 | |
| 15 | Notts County | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 41 | 49 | 0.837 | 31 | |
| 16 | Blackburn Rovers | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 44 | 63 | 0.698 | 29 | |
| 17 | Grimsby Town(R) | 34 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 43 | 62 | 0.694 | 25 | Relegation to theSecond Division |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers(R) | 34 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 37 | 73 | 0.507 | 19 |
| Home \ Away | AST | BLB | BOL | BRY | DER | EVE | GRI | LIV | MID | NEW | NOT | NTC | SHU | STK | SUN | WED | WBA | WOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa | 5–0 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 7–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 0–2 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| Bolton Wanderers | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–1 | |
| Bury | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | |
| Derby County | 2–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 5–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |
| Everton | 0–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | |
| Grimsby Town | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | |
| Liverpool | 2–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 9–2 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | |
| Middlesbrough | 1–2 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | |
| Newcastle United | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 6–1 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–4 | |
| Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |
| Notts County | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 | |
| Sheffield United | 2–4 | 2–1 | 7–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | |
| Stoke | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | |
| Sunderland | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | |
| The Wednesday | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1–2 | 5–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 6–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Season | 1902–03 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Manchester City (2nd title) |
| Failed re-election | Doncaster Rovers |
| Matches | 306 |
| Goals | 939 (3.07 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Billie Gillespie, (Manchester City), 30[1] |
| Biggest home win | Small Heath –Doncaster Rovers 12–0 (11 Apr 1903) |
| Biggest away win | Burton United –Manchester City 0–5 (7 Mar 1903) |
| Highest scoring | Small Heath –Doncaster Rovers 12–0 (11 Apr 1903) |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches Manchester City (24 Jan 1903 – 7 Mar 1903) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 10 matches Manchester City (17 Jan 1903 – 4 Apr 1903) Woolwich Arsenal (27 Dec 1902 – 7 Mar 1903) |
| Longest losing run | 5 matches Barnsley (11 Oct 1902 – 24 Nov 1902) Stockport County (6 Dec 1902 – 1 Jan 1903) Leicester Fosse (7 Feb 1903 – 7 Mar 1903) |
1903–04 → | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City(C, P) | 34 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 95 | 29 | 3.276 | 54 | Promotion to theFirst Division |
| 2 | Small Heath(P) | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 74 | 36 | 2.056 | 51 | |
| 3 | Woolwich Arsenal | 34 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 66 | 30 | 2.200 | 48 | |
| 4 | Bristol City | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 38 | 1.553 | 42 | |
| 5 | Manchester United | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 38 | 1.395 | 38 | |
| 6 | Chesterfield Town | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 67 | 40 | 1.675 | 37 | |
| 7 | Preston North End | 34 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 56 | 40 | 1.400 | 36 | |
| 8 | Barnsley | 34 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 55 | 51 | 1.078 | 34 | |
| 9 | Burslem Port Vale | 34 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 57 | 62 | 0.919 | 34 | |
| 10 | Lincoln City | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 46 | 53 | 0.868 | 30 | |
| 11 | Glossop | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 43 | 57 | 0.754 | 29 | |
| 12 | Gainsborough Trinity | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 41 | 59 | 0.695 | 29 | |
| 13 | Burton United | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 59 | 0.661 | 29 | |
| 14 | Blackpool | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 44 | 59 | 0.746 | 28 | |
| 15 | Leicester Fosse | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 41 | 65 | 0.631 | 28 | |
| 16 | Doncaster Rovers(R) | 34 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 35 | 72 | 0.486 | 25 | Failed re-election and demoted |
| 17 | Stockport County | 34 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 38 | 74 | 0.514 | 20 | Re-elected |
| 18 | Burnley | 34 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 30 | 77 | 0.390 | 20 |
| Home \ Away | BAR | BLP | BRI | BRN | BPV | BRT | CHF | DON | GAI | GLP | LEI | LIN | MCI | MUN | PNE | SMH | STP | WOO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 6–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |
| Blackpool | 3–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–5 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | |
| Bristol City | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 7–1 | 1–0 | |
| Burnley | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–3 | |
| Burslem Port Vale | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | |
| Burton United | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | |
| Chesterfield | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 10–0 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | |
| Glossop | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | |
| Leicester Fosse | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | |
| Lincoln City | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | |
| Manchester City | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 7–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 9–0 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 4–1 | |
| Manchester United | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | |
| Preston North End | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 6–1 | 2–2 | |
| Small Heath | 2–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 12–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
| Stockport County | 4–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | |
| Woolwich Arsenal | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 6–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–1 |
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