1902/03 Season - Review

NUFC Season 1902/03

A fantastic start in which we won five out of the first six saw us reach the top of the table for the first ever time. Eighteen goals had been netted in that half dozen and the 5-0 opening day victory over Stoke still stands as our best. Unfortunately we only scored another 23 goals in the remaining 28 games!

Despite a strong finish of six wins in their last eight games the period from mid October to mid March had been a disaster with only three wins in twenty games and The Magpies finished in 14th; only seven points clear of relegation but also only ten points behind League winners The Wednesday; it was a reasonably tight season!

Indeed United played a significant part in deciding the destiny of the Championship. The last game of the season brought Sunderland to Tyneside. United's win that day in front of 26,500 robbed the Wearsiders of top spot.

Inconsistency was the key as they could win well at home (5-0 - Stoke, 6-1 - Notts County) and lose just as badly on their travels (0-5 - Stoke, 1-6 - WBA and 0-7 Aston Villa) . The Villa result is our equal heaviest away defeat in the top flight.

The FA Cup was a lso a let-down as United lost 2-1 at Grimsby at the first hurdle.

Despite the side's problems there was a 20% increase in the average attendance with seven 20,000 plus gates.

The side was less settled than in previous seasons, largely as a result of a number of injuries but also because of Ranierish tinkering by the directors.

There were more big name signings as left-winger Bobby Templeton, Peter McWilliam and - just before the season's end - Bill Appleyard. The latter at fourteen stone plus finally adding some weight to the often flimsy United attack.

Andrew Gardner left for Bolton.

The regular team that season was Kingsley, Davidson, Agnew, Gardner Alec, Aitken, Carr, Stewart/Turner, Orr, McColl and Roberts/Templeton