2002–03 Manchester City F.C. season

This season was the team's first one playing in the Premier League under the stewardship of Kevin Keegan who, having taken over the helm as manager from Joe Royle after the club had been relegated to the Football League First Division fifteen months earlier, had led the club to an immediate promotion back to the top flight. In fact, the previous season had seen Manchester City promoted in style, with the team breaking many prior club records as it became the new First Division champions. This successful campaign allowed Keegan to delve into the transfer market in the summer and he brought in a number of high-profile players - such as striker Nicolas Anelka, defender Sylvain Distin and goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel - in an effort to ensure that the team was strong enough to remain in the Premier League now that it was back there again.

By spending the £13m transfer fee required to bring Anelka to Manchester City from Paris Saint-Germain the club broke its previous transfer record. Sylvain Distin also transferred over to Manchester City from PSG for £5m, while Peter Schmeichel joined the club on a free transfer from Aston Villa. Some of the other players Keegan brought in during the newly introduced summer transfer window were Marc-Vivien Foé, who joined the club on a season-long loan from Lyon, Vicente Matías Vuoso (from Independiente) and Mikkel Bischoff. Additionally, Robbie Fowler, David Sommeil and Djamel Belmadi were also signed by Keegan a few months later during the 2003 January transfer window.

The new year would also see the man that had been the main impetus behind the hiring of Kevin Keegan, chairman David Bernstein, fall out with his new hire and leave the club following a boardroom dispute over finances and managerial structure that followed closely on the back of the previous week's resignation of the club's managing director. The initial cause of this dispute had occurred back in January concerning the protracted transfer saga of Robbie Fowler (which Bernstein had originally brokered).^[1] He was succeeded as club chairman by former deputy chairman John Wardle.^[2]

This season's campaign would finally see Manchester City win its first Manchester Derby in over 13 years, allowing Peter Schmeichel to establish an exceptional record where he has never been on the losing side in a derby game. During his nine years playing with Manchester United the Reds were unbeaten against Manchester City, while in his single final season playing with the Blues, City won the derby game played at Maine Road and drew the one played at Old Trafford. This was also to be Manchester City's last season playing at its historic Maine Road ground before moving to its current home at City of Manchester Stadium. Consequently, the last game of the season was also the last game ever played at the club's old ground, and Marc-Vivien Foé would have the distinction of being recorded in the soccer annals as the player who scored the last ever goal for Manchester City at Maine Road.

The team kit was produced by Le Coq Sportif and the shirt sponsorship was provided by the financial and legal services group First Advice.^[3]

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Squad at end of season^[4]

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  DEN Peter Schmeichel 2 DF  FRA David Sommeil 3 DF  DEN Niclas Jensen 4 DF  NED Gerard Wiekens 5 DF  FRA Sylvain Distin 6 MF  NIR Kevin Horlock 7 FW  ENG Darren Huckerby 8 MF  ALG Ali Benarbia 9 FW  CRC Paulo Wanchope 10 FW  BER Shaun Goater 11 FW  ENG Jon Macken 12 GK  ENG Nicky Weaver 13 MF  FRA Christian Negouai 14 DF  ISR Eyal Berkovic 15 DF  NOR Alfie Haaland 16 DF  SCO Paul Ritchie 17 DF  China Sun Jihai 19 MF  AUS Danny Tiatto 20 GK  ENG Carlo Nash

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 FW  ARG Vicente Matías Vuoso 22 DF  IRL Richard Dunne 23 MF  CMR Marc-Vivien Foé (on loan from Lyon) 24 DF  ENG Steve Howey 25 DF  CMR Lucien Mettomo 27 DF  DEN Mikkel Bischoff 28 DF  NED Tyrone Loran 29 MF  ENG Shaun Wright-Phillips 30 DF  IRL Paddy McCarthy 31 MF  ALG Djamel Belmadi (on loan from Marseille) 32 GK  DEN Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard 33 FW  ENG Robbie Fowler 34 DF  ENG Stephen Jordan 35 GK  IRL Brian Murphy 36 MF  IRL Glenn Whelan 39 FW  FRA Nicolas Anelka 40 MF  ENG Chris Shuker 41 MF  ENG Joey Barton

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 18 MF  NIR Jeff Whitley (released) 31 DF  FRA Laurent Charvet (to Sochaux) 33 FW  NZL Chris Killen (to Oldham Athletic) 33 GK  ENG Tim Flowers (on loan from Leicester City)

No. Pos. Nation Player 37 MF  CAN Terry Dunfield (to Bury) 38 MF  WAL Rhys Day (to Mansfield Town) 44 MF  ALG Karim Kerkar (released)

Prior to this season, the history of Manchester City's performance in the English football league hierarchy since the creation of the Premier League in 1992 is summarised by the following timeline chart–which commences with the last season (1991–92) of the old Football League First Division (from which the Premier League was formed).

All competitions [edit] Scorer Goals Nicolas Anelka 14 Marc-Vivien Foé 9 Shaun Goater 7 Ali Benarbia 3 Eyal Berkovic 2 Robbie Fowler Steve Howey Darren Huckerby Sun Jihai Joey Barton 1 Niclas Jensen David Sommeil Shaun Wright-Phillips

Premier League [edit] Scorer Goals Nicolas Anelka 14 Marc-Vivien Foé 9 Shaun Goater 7 Ali Benarbia 3 Robbie Fowler 2 Steve Howey Sun Jihai Joey Barton 1 Eyal Berkovic Darren Huckerby Niclas Jensen David Sommeil Shaun Wright-Phillips

League Cup and FA Cup [edit] Scorer Goals Eyal Berkovic 1 Darren Huckerby

Information current as of 11 May 2003 (end of season)

• Manchester City F.C. seasons