2002–03 Celtic F.C. season

Celtic
2002–03 season
Chairman	Brian Quinn
Manager	Martin O'Neill
Stadium	Celtic Park
Scottish Premier League	2nd
Scottish Cup	Quarter-finals
Scottish League Cup	Runners-up
UEFA Champions League	Third qualifying round
UEFA Cup	Runners-up
Top goalscorer	League: ; Henrik Larsson (28); All: ; Henrik Larsson (44)
Home colours	Away colours
	← 2001–02 2003–04 →

Celtic went into the 2002–03 season defending their Scottish Premier League title, which they won in 2001–02.

They also entered the UEFA Champions League at the qualifying stage, as well as taking part in the two domestic cup competitions, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup.

Season overview

League campaign

Celtic lost out on the title on the last day of the season despite a 4–0 win at Kilmarnock, with a goal difference of 1 less than Rangers over the whole season.^[1]

European campaign

Celtic went into third qualifying stage of the Champions League but failed to beat Basel. They then dropped down into the UEFA Cup where they beat teams including Blackburn Rovers, Stuttgart and Liverpool to reach the final where they lost 2–3 after extra time to Porto.

Domestic cups

Celtic reached the final of the Scottish League Cup, but a late penalty miss by John Hartson meant the trophy went to Rangers. As the number of games to be played took its toll, an inexperienced Celtic side lost to Inverness CT in the Scottish Cup.

Competitions

Date	Venue	Opponents	Score	Competition	Celtic scorers	Match Report
6 July 2002	Tolka Park	Shelbourne	4 – 1	Friendly	Sutton, Agathe, Hartson (2)
7 July 2002	Tolka Park	Shamrock Rovers	1 – 1	Friendly	Balde
10 July 2002	Fratton Park	Portsmouth	3 – 2	Friendly	Sylla, Petta, Healy
13 July 2002	Loftus Road	QPR	7 – 3	Friendly	Healy, Sutton, Hartson, Maloney, Sylla, Fernández (2)
17 July 2002		SF Liebnitz	3 – 1	Friendly	Maloney, Fernández (2)
19 July 2002		Werder Bremen	2 – 6	Friendly	Hartson, Fernández
24 July 2002	Celtic Park	Ajax	1 – 3	Friendly	Sutton
27 July 2002	Celtic Park	Parma	2 – 1	Friendly	Sutton, Sylla
3 August 2002	Celtic Park	Dunfermline	2 – 1	SPL	Larsson (2)	BBC Sport
7 August 2002	White Hart Lane	Tottenham Hotspur	1 – 1	Friendly	Maloney	BBC Sport
10 August 2002	Pittodrie	Aberdeen	4 – 0	SPL	Mjällby, Sutton, Sylla, Lambert	BBC Sport
14 August 2002	Celtic Park	Basel	3 – 1	CLQ	Larsson (pen.), Sutton, Sylla	BBC Sport
17 August 2002	Celtic Park	Dundee United	5 – 0	SPL	McNamara, Sutton, Petrov, Hartson, Larsson	BBC Sport
24 August 2002	Firhill	Partick Thistle	1 – 0	SPL	Larsson	BBC Sport
28 August 2002	St. Jakob-Park	Basel	0 – 2	CLQ		BBC Sport
1 September 2002	Celtic Park	Livingston	2 – 0	SPL	Larsson, Balde	BBC Sport
11 September 2002	Fir Park	Motherwell	1 – 2	SPL	Hartson	BBC Sport
14 September 2002	Celtic Park	Hibernian	1 – 0	SPL	Hartson	BBC Sport
19 September 2002	Celtic Park	FK Sūduva	8 – 1	UC	Larsson (3), Petrov, Sutton, Lambert, Hartson, Valgaeren	BBC Sport
22 September 2002	Dens Park	Dundee	1 – 0	SPL	Larsson	BBC Sport
28 September 2002	Celtic Park	Kilmarnock	5 – 0	SPL	Larsson (3), Sutton (2)	BBC Sport
3 October 2002	Sūduva stadium	FK Sūduva	2 – 0	UC	Fernández, Thompson	BBC Sport
6 October 2002	Celtic Park	Rangers	3 – 3	SPL	Sutton, Larsson (2)	BBC Sport
8 October 2002	Adams Park	Wycombe Wanderers	4 – 0	F	Larsson (2), Cousins (og), Sylla
20 October 2002	Tynecastle	Heart of Midlothian	4 – 1	SPL	Sutton, Petrov, Larsson (2)	BBC Sport
23 October 2002	Celtic Park	Inverness CT	4 – 2	SLC	Maloney, Thompson, Hartson (2)	BBC Sport
27 October 2002	East End Park	Dunfermline	4 – 1	SPL	Larsson, Thompson, Petrov, Sutton	BBC Sport
31 October 2002	Celtic Park	Blackburn Rovers	1 – 0	UC	Larsson	BBC Sport
3 November 2002	Celtic Park	Aberdeen	7 – 0	SPL	Hartson (4), Larsson, Balde, Maloney	BBC Sport
6 November 2002	Celtic Park	Partick Thistle	1 – 1 (5-4 after extra-time and penalties)	SLC	Thompson	BBC Sport
10 November 2002	Tannadice	Dundee United	2 – 0	SPL	Hartson, Sutton	BBC Sport
14 November 2002	Ewood Park	Blackburn Rovers	2 – 0	UC	Larsson, Sutton	BBC Sport
17 November 2002	Celtic Park	Partick Thistle	4 – 0	SPL	Sutton, Larsson, Petrov (2)	BBC Sport
24 November 2002	Almondvale Stadium	Livingston	2 – 0	SPL	Larsson (2)	BBC Sport
28 November 2002	Celtic Park	Celta Vigo	1 – 0	UC	Larsson	BBC Sport
1 December 2002	Celtic Park	Motherwell	3 – 1	SPL	Larsson, Leitch (OG), Valgaeren	BBC Sport
4 December 2002	Easter Road	Hibernian	1 – 0	SPL	Petrov	BBC Sport
7 December 2002	Ibrox	Rangers	2 – 3	SPL	Sutton, Hartson	BBC Sport
12 December 2002	Estadio Balaídos	Celta Vigo	1 – 2	UC	Hartson	BBC Sport
15 December 2002	Rugby Park	Kilmarnock	1 – 1	SPL	Valgaeren	BBC Sport
21 December 2002	Celtic Park	Dundee	2 – 0	SPL	Hartson, Larsson	BBC Sport
26 December 2002	Celtic Park	Heart of Midlothian	4 – 2	SPL	Hartson (3), Larsson	BBC Sport
29 December 2002	Celtic Park	Dunfermline	1 – 0	SPL	Larsson	BBC Sport
2 January 2003	Pittodrie	Aberdeen	1 – 1	SPL	Larsson	BBC Sport
22 January 2003	Celtic Park	Feyenoord	2 – 3	Friendly	Hartson, Sylla
25 January 2003	Celtic Park	St Mirren	3 – 0	SC	Larsson, Sylla	BBC Sport
29 January 2003	Celtic Park	Dundee United	2 – 0	SPL	Hartson, Larsson	BBC Sport
2 February 2003	Firhill Stadium	Partick Thistle	2 – 0	SPL	Sutton (2)	BBC Sport
6 February 2003	Hampden	Dundee United	3 – 0	SLC	Balde (2), Larsson	BBC Sport
9 February 2003	Celtic Park	Livingston	2 – 1	SPL	Sylla, Sutton	BBC Sport
20 February 2003	Celtic Park	Stuttgart	3 – 1	UC	Lambert, Maloney, Petrov	BBC Sport
23 February 2003	Celtic Park	St Johnstone	3 – 0	SC	Hartson (2), Smith	BBC Sport
27 February 2003	Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion	Stuttgart	2 – 3	UC	Thompson, Sutton	BBC Sport
2 March 2003	Celtic Park	Hibernian	3 – 2	SPL	Hartson (2), Mjällby	BBC Sport
8 March 2003	Celtic Park	Rangers	1 – 0	SPL	Hartson	BBC Sport
13 March 2003	Celtic Park	Liverpool	1 – 1	UC	Larsson	BBC Sport
16 March 2003	Hampden	Rangers	1 – 2	SLC	Larsson	BBC Sport
20 March 2003	Anfield	Liverpool	2 – 0	UC	Thompson, Hartson	BBC Sport
23 March 2003	Caledonian Stadium	Inverness CT	0 – 1	SC		BBC Sport
6 April 2003	Dens Park	Dundee	1 – 1	SPL	Thompson	BBC Sport
10 April 2003	Celtic Park	Boavista	1 – 1	UC	Larsson	BBC Sport
13 April 2003	Celtic Park	Kilmarnock	2 – 0	SPL	Larsson, Petrov	BBC Sport
19 April 2003	Tynecastle	Heart of Midlothian	1 – 2	SPL	Thompson	BBC Sport
24 April 2003	Estádio do Bessa	Boavista	1 – 0	UC	Larsson	BBC Sport
27 April 2003	Ibrox	Rangers	2 – 1	SPL	Thompson (pen.), Hartson	BBC Sport
3 May 2003	East End Park	Dunfermline Athletic	4 – 1	SPL	Larsson, Petrov (2), Thompson (pen.)	BBC Sport
7 May 2003	Fir Park	Motherwell	4 – 0	SPL	Petrov (2), Lambert (2)	BBC Sport
10 May 2003	Celtic Park	Heart of Midlothian	1 – 0	SPL	Thompson (pen.)	BBC Sport
14 May 2003	Celtic Park	Dundee	6 – 2	SPL	Larsson, Thompson (2), Maloney (2), Mjällby	BBC Sport
21 May 2003	Estadio Olímpico de Sevilla	Porto	2 – 3	UC	Larsson (2)	BBC Sport
25 May 2003	Rugby Park	Kilmarnock	4 – 0	SPL	Sutton (2), Thompson (pen.), Petrov	BBC Sport

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Premier League		Scottish Cup		League Cup		Europe
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	SCO	Jonathan Gould	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2	DF	SCO	Tom Boyd	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
3	DF	GUI	Mohammed Sylla	31	4	13+5	2	2	1	0+3	0	4+4	1
4	DF	SCO	Jackie McNamara	28	1	12+7	1	2	0	0	0	2+5	0
5	DF	BEL	Joos Valgaeren	53	3	35	2	2	0	2	0	14	1
6	DF	GUI	Dianbobo Balde	53	4	36	2	0	0	3	2	14	0
7	FW	SWE	Henrik Larsson	51	44	35	28	2	2	2	2	12	12
8	MF	ENG	Alan Thompson	45	12	26+3	8	1	0	2+1	1	10+2	3
9	FW	ENG	Chris Sutton	43	19	28	15	1	0	2	0	11+1	4
10	FW	WAL	John Hartson	45	25	18+9	18	1+1	2	4	2	9+3	3
12	FW	ESP	David Fernández	19	1	3+7	0	2+1	0	2+1	0	1+2	1
14	MF	SCO	Paul Lambert	48	6	27+4	3	1	0	3	1	10+3	2
15	MF	NED	Bobby Petta	5	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
16	DF	DEN	Ulrik Laursen	36	0	22	0	3	0	2	0	7+2	0
17	DF	FRA	Didier Agathe	40	0	24+3	0	0	0	2	0	10+1	0
18	MF	NIR	Neil Lennon	46	0	28	0	1	0	3	0	14	0
19	MF	BUL	Stiliyan Petrov	50	14	33+1	12	0	0	0+2	0	14	2
20	GK	SCO	Rab Douglas	38	0	21	0	0	0	3	0	14	0
21	GK	SWE	Magnus Hedman	10	0	8	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
22	GK	SCO	David Marshall	1	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
23	DF	SVK	Stanislav Varga	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
24	MF	IRL	Colin Healy	5	0	0+1	0	2	0	1	0	1	0
26	GK	ESP	Javier Broto	10	0	7+1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
29	FW	SCO	Shaun Maloney	30	5	5+15	3	1+2	0	2+1	1	2+2	1
30	MF	ENG	Steve Guppy	25	0	12+5	0	2	0	0	0	3+3	0
32	FW	SCO	Simon Lynch	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0
35	DF	SWE	Johan Mjallby	24	3	14	3	2	0	1	0	7	0
39	MF	SCO	Jamie Smith	25	1	3+10	0	3	1	4	0	1+4	0
40	DF	SCO	Stephen Crainey	19	0	3+10	0	1+1	0	2	0	1+1	0
41	DF	SCO	John Kennedy	2	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	1	0
43	MF	IRL	Liam Miller	2	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0+1	0

Team statistics

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation^[a]
1	Rangers (C)	38	31	4	3	101	28	+73	97	Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
2	Celtic	38	31	4	3	98	26	+72	97	Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3	Heart of Midlothian	38	18	9	11	57	51	+6	63	Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4	Kilmarnock	38	16	9	13	47	56	−9	57
5	Dunfermline Athletic	38	13	7	18	54	71	−17	46

Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Notes:

↑ Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.

Transfers

In

Date	Player	From	Fee
31 May 2002	David Fernández	Livingston	08 £1,000,000^[2]
1 August 2002	Magnus Hedman	Coventry City	08 £1,500,000^[3]
1 August 2002	Ulrik Laursen	Hibernian	08 £1,500,000^[3]
24 January 2003	Javier Broto	Livingston	08 Free^[4]
18 February 2003	Stanislav Varga	Sunderland	08 Free^[5]

Out

Date	Player	To	Fee
21 May 2002	Dmitri Kharine	Hornchurch	08Free^[6]
21 May 2002	Jim Goodwin	Stockport County	08Free^[7]
1 June 2002	Ľubomír Moravčík	JEF United Chiba	08Free^[8]
22 June 2002	Morten Wieghorst	Brøndby IF	08Free^[9]
1 July 2002	David van Zanten	St Mirren	08Free^[10]
7 January 2003	Simon Lynch	Preston North End	08£130,000^[11]
9 January 2003	Jonathan Gould	Preston North End	08Free^[12]
4 February 2003	Paul Shields	Clyde	08Free^[13]

Expenditure: £4,000,000
Income: £130,000
Total loss/gain: £3,870,000

References

↑ SPL goes down to the Wire BBC Sport, 25 May 2003
↑ "Celtic sign Fernandez". BBC Sport. 31 May 2002. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
1 2 "Celtic make double signing". BBC Sport website. 1 August 2002.
↑ "Celtic seal Broto signing". BBC Sport. 24 January 2003. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ "Varga cleared for debut". BBC Sport. 18 February 2003. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ "Kharine to leave Celtic". BBC Sport. 21 May 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ "Kharine to leave Celtic". BBC Sport. 21 May 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ "Moravcik in final salute". BBC Sport. 4 May 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ "Wieghorst departs for Brondby". BBC Sport. 22 June 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ "Soccer shorts: Sales Pitch". Daily Record. 9 July 2002.
↑ "Lynch joins Preston". BBC News. 7 January 2003.
↑ "Gould joins Preston". BBC News. 9 January 2003.
↑ "Clyde sign Shields". BBC News. 4 February 2003.

[2] Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.

[1] SPL goes down to the Wire BBC Sport, 25 May 2003

[3] "Celtic sign Fernandez". BBC Sport. 31 May 2002. Retrieved 29 February 2012.

[Celtic_make_double_signing-4] 1 2 "Celtic make double signing". BBC Sport website. 1 August 2002.

[5] "Celtic seal Broto signing". BBC Sport. 24 January 2003. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

[6] "Varga cleared for debut". BBC Sport. 18 February 2003. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

[7] "Kharine to leave Celtic". BBC Sport. 21 May 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

[8] "Kharine to leave Celtic". BBC Sport. 21 May 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

[9] "Moravcik in final salute". BBC Sport. 4 May 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

[10] "Wieghorst departs for Brondby". BBC Sport. 22 June 2002. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

[11] "Soccer shorts: Sales Pitch". Daily Record. 9 July 2002.

[12] "Lynch joins Preston". BBC News. 7 January 2003.

[13] "Gould joins Preston". BBC News. 9 January 2003.

[14] "Clyde sign Shields". BBC News. 4 February 2003.

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