The 2002–03 season was Arsenal Ladies Football Club's 16th season since forming in 1987. The club participated in the National Division of the FA Women's Premier League, and came into the season as the reigning champions. However, they were only able to finish third this time. behind Doncaster Rovers Belles and newly promoted Fulham, who won the league with an unbeaten campaign.[1]
They were defeated in the Community Shield and the League Cup Final on penalties by Fulham, and lost at the Semi Final stages of the FA Cup and London County Cup to Charlton Athletic.[2][3]
In Europe, Arsenal reached the Semi Final stages of the UEFA Cup for the first time, but were thrashed 8–2 on aggregate by Fortuna Hjørring, including a disastrous 5–1 home defeat.[4] It was the first time since 1995-96 that Arsenal finished a season with no trophies to show for their efforts.
Before the season began, Arsenal declared that they had gone semi-professional.[5]
Squad Statistics
First team squad
Squad statistics correct as of May 2003[6]
Squad No. | Name | Date of Birth (Age) | Since | Signed From |
---|---|---|---|---|
Goalkeepers | ||||
1 | ![]() |
14 June 1979 | 2000 | ![]() |
13 | ![]() |
7 June 1985 | 2001 | |
![]() |
11 August 1986 | 2002 | Homegrown | |
![]() |
4 November 1985 | 1998 | Homegrown | |
Defenders | ||||
2 | ![]() |
14 April 1975 | 1987 | Homegrown |
3 | ![]() |
17 April 1975 | 2000 | ![]() |
5 | ![]() |
10 August 1983 | 2001 | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
2 February 1978 | 1996 | ![]() |
11 | ![]() |
4 February 1971 | 1995 | ![]() |
12 | ![]() |
28 September 1974 | 2001 | ![]() |
15 | ![]() |
27 February 1981 | 2000 | ![]() |
17 | ![]() |
23 June 1987 | 1998 | ![]() |
18 | ![]() |
27 April 1985 | 1998 | Homegrown |
24 | ![]() |
7 November 1984 | 1999 | Homegrown |
30 | ![]() |
1 December 1965 | 2002 | ![]() |
![]() |
4 September 1983 | 2002 | ![]() | |
![]() |
4 June 1986 | 2002 | Homegrown | |
Midfielders | ||||
4 | ![]() |
7 January 1979 | 2000 | ![]() |
7 | ![]() |
2 February 1968 | 1990 | ![]() |
10 | ![]() |
17 May 1978 | 1998 | ![]() |
21 | ![]() |
17 October 1983 | 1996 | Homegrown |
23 | ![]() |
17 May 1985 | 2001 | ![]() |
![]() |
1 August 1985 | 2002 | ![]() | |
![]() |
2002 | |||
Forwards | ||||
8 | ![]() |
23 December 1975 | 1999 | ![]() |
9 | ![]() |
16 February 1983 | 2000 | Homegrown |
14 | ![]() |
3 February 1988 | 2003 | Homegrown |
16 | ![]() |
14 October 1984 | 2002 | Homegrown |
17 | ![]() |
2002 | ||
24 | ![]() |
28 June 1980 | 2003 | ![]() |
![]() |
21 July 1985 | 1997 | Homegrown |
Appearances and goals
No. | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | PL Cup | LC Cup | Comm Shield | UEFA Cup | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Goalkeepers | |||||||||||||||
1 | ![]() |
18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
13 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Defenders | |||||||||||||||
2 | ![]() |
15 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
3 | ![]() |
10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 3+1 | 1 | 21+1 | 3 |
5 | ![]() |
18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 31+1 | 0 |
6 | ![]() |
4+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8+1 | 2 |
11 | ![]() |
18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 2 |
12 | ![]() |
14+3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0+1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 27+4 | 0 |
15 | ![]() |
12+1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 24+3 | 0 |
17 | ![]() |
0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
18 | ![]() |
1+4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4+6 | 0 |
24 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
30 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Midfielders | |||||||||||||||
4 | ![]() |
18 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 34 | 31 |
7 | ![]() |
14+3 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15+3 | 0 |
10 | ![]() |
16 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 31 | 12 |
21 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
23 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | |
![]() |
0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+2 | 1 | |
Forwards | |||||||||||||||
8 | ![]() |
18 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 23 |
9 | ![]() |
16+1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 28+1 | 13 |
14 | ![]() |
2+3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+4 | 4 |
16 | ![]() |
1+10 | 0 | 0+3 | 1 | 1+3 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0+3 | 1 | 2+19 | 2 |
17 | ![]() |
2+8 | 1 | 2+2 | 1 | 1+3 | 1 | ‡ | ‡ | 1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 6+15 | 3 |
24 | ![]() |
1+5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+6 | 1 |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | ‡ | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
‡ = No match report data has been sourced for the London County Cup matches from this season. Only the score-lines are known.
Goalscorers
Rank | No. | Position | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | PL Cup | LC Cup | Comm Shield | UEFA Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | MF | ![]() |
15 | 6 | 6 | ‡ | 0 | 4 | 31 |
2 | 8 | FW | ![]() |
14 | 2 | 3 | ‡ | 0 | 4 | 23 |
3 | 9 | FW | ![]() |
5 | 0 | 3 | ‡ | 2 | 3 | 13 |
4 | 10 | MF | ![]() |
7 | 1 | 2 | ‡ | 0 | 2 | 12 |
5 | 14 | FW | ![]() |
4 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Own Goals | 1 | 1 | 2 | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||
6 | 17 | FW | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 1 | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 3 |
3 | DF | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
7 | 16 | FW | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 1 | 2 |
2 | DF | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
6 | DF | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
11 | DF | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
8 | 24 | FW | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 0 | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 1 |
MF | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 1 | ‡ | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
Total | 53 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 110 |
Clean sheets
Rank | No. | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | PL Cup | LC Cup | Comm Shield | UEFA Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | ![]() |
5 | 3 | 3 | ‡ | 0 | 3 | 14 |
Total | 5 | 3 | 3 | ‡ | 0 | 3 | 14 |
Transfers, loans and other signings
Transfers in
Announcement date | No. | Position | Player | From club |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 2002 | MF | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | 17 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
2003 | 24 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
Transfers out
Announcement date | No. | Position | Player | To club |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | GK | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | DF | ![]() |
Retirement | |
2002 | MF | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | FW | ![]() |
||
2002 | DF | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | FW | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | DF | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | GK | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | DF | ![]() |
||
July 2002 | DF | ![]() |
![]() | |
2002 | FW | Emma Moore | ||
2002 | Jo Gardner |
Club
Kit
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Home
|
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Away
|
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Third
|
Competitions
FA Women's Community Shield
08 August 2002 Final | Arsenal | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (1–3 p) | Fulham | Leyton Orient |
|
Report | Stadium: Brisbane Road | ||
Penalties | ||||
FA Women's Premier League
31 August 2002 1 | Arsenal | 6–0 | Tranmere Rovers | St Albans |
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
11 September 2002 3 | Arsenal | 5–0 | Birmingham City | Finchley |
Report | Stadium: The Harry Abrahams Stadium |
06 October 2002 4 | Arsenal | 3–2 | Everton | St Albans |
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
20 October 2002 5 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | St Albans |
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
23 October 2002 6 | Birmingham City | 1–0 | Arsenal | |
Report |
08 December 2002 8 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | St Albans |
Report |
|
Stadium: Clarence Park |
02 March 2003 10 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Southampton | St Albans |
|
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
12 April 2003 11 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Leeds United | Potters Bar |
Report | Stadium: The Lantern Stadium |
15 April 2003 12 | Fulham | 4–1 | Arsenal | Carshalton |
Report | Stadium: War Memorial Sports Ground |
04 May 2003 16 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 1–1 | Arsenal | |
Report |
11 May 2003 18 | Charlton Athletic | 0–1 | Arsenal | |
Report |
Partial league table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fulham (C) | 18 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 63 | 13 | +50 | 49[a] | Champions, to European Cup |
2 | Doncaster Rovers | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 19 | +15 | 41 | |
3 | Arsenal | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 53 | 21 | +32 | 40 | |
4 | Charlton Athletic | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 44 | 20 | +24 | 34 | |
5 | Birmingham City | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 26 | 31 | −5 | 21 |
(C) Champions
Notes:
- ^ Deducted 1 point for fielding ineligible player (Jess Wright) against Charlton Athletic on October 23, 2002.
Results Summary
Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 53 | 21 | +32 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 9 | +19 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 12 | +13 |
Results by matchday
FA Women's Cup
5 January 2003 Fourth Round | Arsenal | 2–0 | Tranmere Rovers | St Albans |
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
26 January 2003 Fifth Round | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–4 | Arsenal | |
Report |
26 January 2003 Quarter Finals | Arsenal | 6–0 | Aston Villa | St Albans |
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
23 March 2003 Semi Finals | Charlton Athletic | 1–0 | Arsenal | Charlton |
Report | Stadium: The Valley |
FA Women's Premier League Cup
13 October 2002 First Round | Arsenal | 11–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | Borehamwood |
Report | Stadium: Meadow Park |
10 November 2002 Second Round | Arsenal | 3–0 | Leeds United | Potters Bar |
Report | Stadium: The Lantern Stadium |
01 December 2002 Quarter Finals | Arsenal | 1–0 | Tranmere Rovers | St Albans |
|
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
02 February 2003 Semi Finals | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 1–2 | Arsenal | |
Report |
|
30 March 2003 Final | Fulham | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) | Arsenal | Swindon |
14:00 BST |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 2,220 |
Penalties | ||||
London County Cup
28 January 2003 First Round | Arsenal | 7–0 | Crystal Palace | Potters Bar |
Stadium: The Lantern Stadium |
19 March 2003 Semi Finals | Arsenal | 0–2 | Charlton Athletic | Edgware |
Stadium: White Lion Ground |
UEFA Women's Cup
Group Stage
24 September 2002 1 | Arsenal | 6–0 | Gömrükçü Baku | St Albans |
Report |
|
Stadium: Clarence Park |
26 September 2002 2 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Levante UD | Bishop's Stortford |
Report |
|
Stadium: Woodside Park |
29 September 2002 3 | Arsenal | 7–0 | Eendracht Aalst | St Albans |
Report | Stadium: Clarence Park |
Table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | +14 | 9 |
2 | ![]() |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 6 |
3 | ![]() |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 3 |
4 | ![]() |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | −23 | 0 |
Quarter Final
2 November 2002 First Leg | CSK VVS Samara ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() | Samara |
|
Report | Stadium: Metallurg Stadium Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Geja Mulder (Netherlands) |
28 November 2002 Second Leg | Arsenal ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | St Albans |
Maggs ![]() |
Report | Kremleva ![]() ![]() |
Stadium: Clarence Park Attendance: 450 Referee: Lale Orta (Turkey) |
Semi Final
5 April 2003 First Leg | Fortuna Hjørring ![]() | 3–1 | ![]() | Hjørring |
Report |
|
Stadium: Hjørring Stadium Attendance: 2,384 Referee: Christine Frai (Germany) |
27 April 2003 Second Leg | Arsenal ![]() | 1–5 | ![]() | Barnet |
Report |
|
Stadium: Underhill |
See also
References
- ^ "Fulham stun Arsenal in 2003 title race".
- ^ "TheFA.com - Shield win is spot on for Fulham". 2004-10-10. Archived from the original on 10 October 2004. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
- ^ "Fulham win dramatic shoot-out". 2003-03-30. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
- ^ UEFA.com. "History: Arsenal 1-5 Fortuna | UEFA Women's Champions League 2002/03". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
- ^ "Banks stays with semi-pro Gunners". 2002-05-15. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
- ^ "Arsenal Ladies". 2003-04 Arsenal Handbook: Pages 78-79.