Football League Third Division 2002/03
Football League Third Division 2002/03 | |
master | Rushden & Diamonds |
Climbers | Rushden & Diamonds Hartlepool United Wrexham AFC Bournemouth AFC (as play-off winners) |
Relegation ↑ | Bournemouth AFC Scunthorpe United Lincoln City Bury FC |
Relegated |
Exeter City Shrewsbury Town |
Teams | 24 |
Games | 552 |
Gates | 1,419 (ø 2.57 per game) |
Top scorer | Andy Morrell (Wrexham AFC) |
← Football League Third Division 2001/02 | |
^ Football League Second Division 2002/03 |
The Football League Third Division 2002/03 was the eleventh season of the Football League Third Division as only the fourth highest English football league and 45th fourth division season overall.
The top three clubs Rushden & Diamonds , Hartlepool United and AFC Wrexham rose directly to the Football League Second Division. The clubs in places four to seven determined the fourth promoted team in play-off mode. Here the AFC Bournemouth prevailed.
Exeter City and Shrewsbury Town rose to the Football Conference and were replaced by Yeovil Town and Doncaster Rovers the following season .
Closing table
Pl. | society | Sp. | S. | U | N | Gates | Diff. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Rushden & Diamonds | 46 | 24 | 15th | 7th | 73:47 | +26 | 87 |
2. | Hartlepool United | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 71:51 | +20 | 85 |
3. | AFC Wrexham (A) | 46 | 23 | 15th | 8th | 84:50 | +34 | 84 |
4th | Bournemouth AFC (A) | 46 | 20th | 14th | 12 | 60:48 | +12 | 74 |
5. | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 19th | 15th | 12 | 68:49 | +19 | 72 |
6th | Lincoln City | 46 | 18th | 16 | 12 | 46:37 | +9 | 70 |
7th | Bury FC (A) | 46 | 18th | 16 | 12 | 57:56 | +1 | 70 |
8th. | Oxford United | 46 | 19th | 12 | 15th | 57:47 | +10 | 69 |
9. | Torquay United | 46 | 16 | 18th | 12 | 71:71 | ± 0 | 66 |
10. | York city | 46 | 17th | 15th | 14th | 52:53 | −1 | 66 |
11. | Kidderminster Harriers | 46 | 16 | 15th | 15th | 62:63 | −1 | 63 |
12. | Cambridge United (A) | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17th | 67:70 | −3 | 61 |
13. | Hull City | 46 | 14th | 17th | 15th | 58:53 | +5 | 59 |
14th | Darlington FC | 46 | 12 | 18th | 16 | 58:59 | −1 | 54 |
15th | Boston United (N) 1 | 46 | 15th | 13 | 18th | 55:56 | −1 | 54 |
16. | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 14th | 12 | 20th | 57:63 | −6 | 54 |
17th | Southend United | 46 | 17th | 3 | 26th | 47:59 | −12 | 54 |
18th | Leyton Orient | 46 | 14th | 11 | 21st | 51:61 | −10 | 53 |
19th | Rochdale AFC | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18th | 63:70 | −7 | 52 |
20th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 12 | 15th | 19th | 50:57 | −7 | 51 |
21st | Swansea City | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21st | 48:65 | −17 | 49 |
22nd | Carlisle United | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 52:78 | −26 | 49 |
23. | Exeter City | 46 | 11 | 15th | 20th | 50:64 | −14 | 48 |
24. | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 9 | 14th | 23 | 62:92 | −30 | 41 |
Placement criteria: 1st points - 2nd goal difference - 3rd goals scored
1 Boston United were deducted four points for financial irregularities last season.
(A) | Relegated from the Football League Second Division 2001/02 |
(N) | Newcomers from the Football Conference |
Play-off round
Semi-finals (first leg / second leg / total) | final | |||||||||
4th | Bournemouth AFC | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||||
7th | Bury FC | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
4th | Bournemouth AFC | 5 | ||||||||
6th | Lincoln City | 2 | ||||||||
5 | Scunthorpe United | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
6th | Lincoln City | 5 | 1 | 6th |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ League newcomers docked points. In: bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport, July 19, 2002, accessed May 20, 2018 .