Looking Back at season 2002/03

Dipping back into the archives at another memorable Southern League season.

Tamworth had been members of the Southern League for seven seasons during the 1970s after winning promotion as champions of the West Midlands (Regional) League.

They were switched to the Northern Premier League in 1979/80 when the formation of the Alliance Premier League saw a lot of movement of clubs for geographical reasons.

The Lambs were back in the Southern League in 1983/84 after another geographical move but was a season to forget as Tamworth finished rock bottom of the Midland Division with only two wins and seven draws from 38 games.

That saw Tamworth relegated back to the West Midlands (Regional) League and it took them four seasons to re-adjust before winning the title and promotion in 1987/88.

The Lambs spent nine campaigns in the Midland Division – winning the FA Vase in their first year - and finally, after finishing in the top ten in every season – and third twice – they finally won promotion to the Premier Division for the first time, and in emphatic fashion as they finished a massive 26 points in front of runners-up, the sadly now defunct Rothwell Town!

Paul Hendrie`s side were third on August 24th, having won their opening three matches, and then went to the summit two days later – and never relinquished that position.

The Lambs dropped their first league points on November 26th when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Hinckley Town and lost for the first time on January 25th at Solihull Borough, who actually did the `double` over them by beating them again on the final day of the campaign – the only other team to beat them in the league being Bilston Town.

Tamworth finished 15th in their first season as a Premier Division club – ironically with Rothwell in 16th – but they were gradually coming to grips with the higher level and the turning point came in January 2001, when former Nottingham Forest European Cup winner Gary Mills was appointed manager with the club staring relegation squarely in the face.

His impact was instant. Firstly, he guided the side away from the drop, and then masterminded a championship challenge in the 2001/02 season, which ended in heart breaking fashion on the final day at Folkstone Invicta.

Mills left Tamworth to take over at then-League One side Notts County, and the club swiftly appointed his assistant Darron Gee into the hot seat for the start of 2002/03.

Appointing Gee (left) and maintaining momentum proved a master stroke by the Tamworth Board of Directors.

They began the new season with a thumping 3-0 away win at Havant & Waterlooville but drew their next three games and suffered their first defeat at home to Chippenham Town at the end of August.

But a marvellous run which gleaned 38 points from a possible 42 put the Lambs in pole position by Christmas.

The run-in to the end of the league season could have been disturbed by a terrific run in the FA Trophy.

However, after beating Farnborough Town 2-1 to reach the semi-finals, Tamworth suffered only two league defeats in nine games.

Grantham Town and Worcester City had occupied the top of the table until the beginning of November and then only Crawley Town interrupted the Lambs dominance, and then for only one week.

At times, the Lambs stranglehold on the division was as much as 14 points, and even on the rare occasion they did slip up, or when they were engaged on their Trophy march, none of the challengers could take advantage.

As Worcester slipped off the pace and back to sixth spot, Crawley dropped to seventh and Grantham fell so far back after a run of just 18 points from a possible 63 after Christmas that they needed a victory on the last day of the season to avoid relegation!

So, Stafford Rangers, Dover Athletic, Tiverton Town and Chippenham emerged as Tamworth`s nearest rivals, but so badly did the challengers shoot themselves in the foot, the Lambs built a lead sufficient to clinch the championship three weeks before the end of the season.

The challenge petered away so much that Tamworth won the league with 88 points – only Kettering Town won the competition with fewer points during the previous five years.

A change of management towards the end of the 2001/02 season also paid dividends for Stafford as former Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City midfielder Phil Robinson led Rangers into the runners-up spot.

With the title virtually in the bag, Tamworth could concentrate on their Trophy semi-final with league rivals Havant & Waterlooville.

The Lambs had reached a national final before, of course, as they triumphed in the 1988/89 FA Vase Final.

That time they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sudbury Town at Wembley before winning the replay 3-0 at Peterborough United.

The winners of the two-legged semi-final, however, wouldn`t get the chance to play at the home of English football as Wembley was being re-built and the final was to be at Aston Villa – a short 16-mile drive for Tamworth fans!

In front of a crowd of 2,165 at The Lamb, the hosts took a single goal lead through Scott Rickards (right) to Hampshire.

The Hawks took the game to extra-time through a James Taylor goal, but another Rickards effort in the 111th minute sealed Tamworth`s passage.

Unfortunately, the Lambs suffered a bit of an upset at Villa Park as Burscough, who had finished 18th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division under former Villa defender Shaun Teale, won 2-1 with a Gary Martindale brace – Tamworth skipper and future player-manager Mark Cooper rounding off an excellent personal campaign by scoring the consolation goal.

It wasn`t such a good season for Folkestone Invicta, Ilkeston Town, Hastings United or Halesowen Town, who were all relegated.

The final relegation spot went right to the wire though, but, despite a final day 3-2 win over Chippenham Town, Grantham`s 4-0 win against Moor Green with goals from Pat McDaid, Rick Ranshaw, Lee Marshall and a Dean Peer own goal sealed Halesowen`s fate.

The Division One East was also a close-run thing.

Leadership of the table changed almost weekly but in the early stages of the campaign, Eastbourne Borough, Stamford, Rothwell Town, Histon, Ashford Town, Bashley, Dorchester Town, Banbury United and Salisbury City all spent time at the summit during the first half of the season.

Dorchester, under Mark Morris, saw their results take a downturn in mid-season as a sequence of two victories in nine matches saw the Magpies slip to eighth place during January and February.

Just as quickly, however, a recovery was launched by Morris` men and a run of 15 wins in the final 17 matches of their season swept Dorchester to the top of the table and saw them clinch the championship on the final day of the season on goal difference from Eastbourne.

The Sussex side needed the Magpies to lose at the Avenue Stadium to King`s Lynn and then at least draw with Fisher Athletic at home themselves.

Boro won 2-0 with goals from Matt Crabb and Scott Ramsey, but, in front of 1,259, Dorchester edged out their Norfolk visitors, courtesy of a 37th minute Justin Keeler goal to clinch the title.

Stamford, under Billy Jeffrey, finished a very creditable third, aided by Salisbury being deducted three points to finish fourth, a point behind the Daniels.

It was the end of the Southern League road for St Leonards, who finished bottom with just 16 points and folded during the next season back in the Sussex County League, and for Spalding United.

The Tulips returned to the United Counties League but won promotion as champions the following season and were placed in the Northern Premier League, although they did have the 2006/07 campaign back in the Southern League before being switched back north.

In Division One West, Merthyr Tydfil enjoyed their best season since 1997/98 when they finished runners-up in the Premier Division to Forest Green Rovers.

Ironically, their success in 2002/03 came just a year after being relegated from the Premier Division.

Led astutely by Andy Beattie and aided by a terrific season in front of goal by Justin Pritchard (right), who notched 20 goals, the Martyrs were in second spot by Christmas and in hot pursuit of long-time leaders Bromsgrove Rovers.

By February, Beattie`s men were in front but were unable to shake off the attentions of Weston-super-Mare.

With 26 victories under their belt, the Seagulls were still in the race for the title with three games to go when incredibly they lost at home to Racing Club Warwick, whose relegation had long been confirmed and for whom this was only a third three-point haul of a miserable season for the Racers.

That handed the championship to Merthyr, who could even afford to draw their last two games against Solihull Borough and Sutton Coldfield Town.

Bromsgrove`s spell of eight defeats in fourteen games ended their hopes and allowed Merthyr and Weston to secure promotion by mid-April.

Crawley Town triumphed in the Dr Martens League Cup by beating Halesowen Town 3-2 on aggregate.

In the first leg at The Grove, Crawley took the lead on the hour-mark through Warren Bagnall.

But an own goal from Ben Judge and one from Richard Leadbeater gave the Yeltz the edge.

In the return leg at Broadfield Stadium, the hosts scored through Nigel Brake after 12 minutes to level the tie and a Nic McDonnell (left) effort just before half-time put Crawley ahead and, despite a grandstand finish for the 1,049 crowd, the hosts hung on to claim the silverware.

Crawley were also the last surviving club in the FA Cup in 2002/03.

Wins over lower league sides Great Yarmouth Town (3-0), Lymington & New Milton (2-0) and Flackwell Heath (4-1) set Crawley up with an away tie with league rivals Tiverton Town in the First Round Proper.

A 1-1 draw, thanks to a McDonnell goal, earned a replay which the Reds won 3-2 with McDonnell bagging a brace this time along with one from Warren Bagnall.

A Second Round home tie with Conference side Dagenham & Redbridge awaited and, despite an early 3rd minute McDonnell goal, Junior McDougald after 26 minutes and Mark Janney 2 minutes from time sent the Daggers through.