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2002–03 Aston Villa F.C. Season
The 2002–03 season was Aston Villa's 11th season in the Premier League, and their 15th consecutive season in the top division of English football. Fans had hoped that the return of successful former manager Graham Taylor would spark a serious challenge for honours once more, but the actual result was Villa's worst Premier League campaign in eight years, with the club in serious danger of relegation throughout the season. Survival was only achieved in the penultimate game of the season with a victory over already-doomed Sunderland; Taylor was soon on his way out of the club for good. Players First-team squad :''Squad at end of season'' Left club during season Reserve squad :''The following players made most of their appearances for the reserves this season, but may have also appeared for the reserves or the U-17s, or may have appeared for the first team in a friendly.'' U-19 squad :''The following players made most of thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aston Villa F
Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, England. Located immediately to the north-east of Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a ward within the metropolitan authority. It is approximately 1.5 miles from Birmingham City Centre. History Aston was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as "Estone", having a mill, a priest and therefore probably a church, woodland and ploughland. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul was built in medieval times to replace an earlier church. The body of the church was rebuilt by J. A. Chatwin during the period 1879 to 1890; the 15th century tower and spire, which was partly rebuilt in 1776, being the only survivors of the medieval building. The ancient parish of Aston (known as Aston juxta Birmingham) was large. It was separated from the parish of Birmingham by AB Row, which currently exists in the Eastside of the city at just 50 yards in length. Aston, as Aston Manor, was governed by a Local Board from 1869 and was created as an Urban Distric ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Enckelman
Peter Mikael Enckelman (born 10 March 1977) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Enckelman represented Finland and previously played for TPS Turku, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff City, St Johnstone and Heart of Midlothian. Club career Aston Villa Born in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Enckelman signed for his first English club, Aston Villa, from his hometown team, TPS Turku, in February 1999. He made his debut during a 3–1 defeat against Arsenal on 11 September 1999 as a second-half substitute, his first start coming three days later against Chester City in the League Cup. After David James left the team, Enckelman was pleased when he was called upon in some of the later fixtures, as he expected to be seeing some more first-team action. However, the signing of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel put a considerable damper on things, as, apart from the matches in Aston Villa's Intertoto Cup campaign of that season, he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ulises De La Cruz
Ulises Hernán de la Cruz Bernardo (born 8 February 1974 in Piquiucho, Carchi Province, Carchi) is a retired Ecuadorian association football, footballer, who since 2013 has been a member of his country's National Assembly for the governing PAIS Alliance. A Defender (association football), defender, he played 101 times for the Ecuador national football team between 1995 and 2010, and was selected for two FIFA World Cup tournaments. He spent his club career at Sociedad Deportivo Quito, Deportivo Quito, Barcelona Sporting Club, Barcelona S.C., Sociedad Deportiva Aucas, Aucas, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Cruzeiro, Hibernian F.C., Hibernian, Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa, Reading F.C., Reading and Birmingham City F.C., Birmingham City. De la Cruz has set up a charity, Friends of FundeCruz, in his home village to fund a number of projects serving the local community. Club career Early career De la Cruz's first team was the Ecuadorian side Sociedad Deportivo Quito, for whom he star ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marcus Allbäck
Marcus Christian Allbäck (; born 5 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He was known for his sharp finishing ability and represented clubs in Sweden, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, England, and Germany during a career that spanned between 1992 and 2009. A full international between 1999 and 2008, he won 74 caps for the Sweden national team and scored 30 goals. He represented Sweden at three UEFA European Championships (2000, 2004, and 2008) as well as two FIFA World Cups (2002 and 2006). After his playing career he served as an assistant coach for the Sweden national team between 2009 and 2016. Club career Early career Born in Gothenburg, Allbäck started his professional career with Örgryte IS. He then proceeded to have two modest loan stints abroad, with Lyngby Boldklub and A.S. Bari of Serie A, before rejoining his first club. In 2000, he joined SC Heerenveen of the Eredivisie, before moving to Aston Villa for £2 million in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stefan Postma
Stefan Postma (born 6 October 1976) is a Dutch former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently a goalkeeping coach at his last club, AGOVV Apeldoorn. Club career Early career Postma started his professional career at FC Utrecht before moving to De Graafschap. Aston Villa Postma was signed by Aston Villa on 14 May 2002 for 1.5 million pounds, upon Peter Schmeichel's transfer to Manchester City. Postma's debut came as a substitute in a 0–1 defeat against Southampton on 21 October, following the dismissal of Peter Enckelman. After newly appointed Villa manager David O'Leary purchased Danish keeper Thomas Sørensen, Postma became the club's second choice goalkeeper at the club. He made two appearances in the 2003–04 season and three in 2004–05. Wolves Towards the end of his time at Villa, Postma was linked with transfers to several European clubs before going on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the 2005-06 season. In January 2006, he signed a contra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Hitzlsperger
Thomas Hitzlsperger (born 5 April 1982) is a German director of football and former footballer who played as a midfielder. In February 2019, he was appointed Head of Sport of VfB Stuttgart and was subsequently promoted to CEO. In March 2022, he stepped down from this position. As a player he spent the early part of his career playing for Aston Villa in England (accompanied by a short loan spell at Chesterfield), before returning to Germany to play for Stuttgart, where he was a member of the team which won the Bundesliga in 2007. In 2010, he signed for Italian side Lazio, before moving back to England to join West Ham United later that year. He then had brief spells with Wolfsburg and Everton. Hitzlsperger also represented the Germany national team, earning 52 caps and being selected for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. Following a series of injuries, he retired from football in September 2013. After his retirement, he came out as gay, the highest-profile male footballer in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Staunton
Stephen Staunton (born 19 January 1969) is an Irish football manager, scout and former professional footballer. He played as a defender (association football), defender with two separate spells each with Premier League sides Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa and Liverpool F.C., Liverpool. He also played in the Football League for Bradford City A.F.C., Bradford City, Crystal Palace F.C., Crystal Palace, Coventry City F.C., Coventry City and Walsall F.C., Walsall. He earned 102 Cap (sport), caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team, captained his team to the knock-out stage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and earned his place in the List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps, FIFA Century Club. After retiring, he served as Republic of Ireland national football team, Republic of Ireland national team coach prior to Giovanni Trapattoni. He also spent five months as manager of Darlington F.C., Darlington in Football League Two and has worked on the coaching st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Darius Vassell
Darius Martin Clarke Vassell (born 13 June 1980) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Ankaragücü and Leicester City. Vassell began his career at his home town club Aston Villa in the Premier League, being developed by their academy and making his first team debut in 1998. He was sold for £2 million in 2005 to another Premier League club, Manchester City, staying for four seasons before being released in 2009, moving abroad to Turkey for a season to play for the Süper Lig team Ankaragücü. In October 2010 he was brought back to England by his former international manager Sven-Göran Eriksson to play for the Championship side Leicester City. Under Eriksson with England, Vassell scored six goals from 22 international caps awarded between 2002 and 2004, including appearances at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, and UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal. Club career Early career Vassell was born in Birming ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Juan Pablo Ángel
Juan Pablo Ángel Arango (born 24 October 1975) is a Colombian former footballer who last played as a striker for Atlético Nacional in Categoría Primera A. He began his career at Nacional, whom he helped to win the championship in 1994, and then moved to River Plate of Argentina, where he was the league's top scorer in 2000. The following year he moved to Europe, joining Aston Villa of the Premier League for a club record £9.5 million. In 2007, he moved to the United States, where he played for three clubs in Major League Soccer before returning to Atlético Nacional in 2013. Ángel was also a full international for Colombia, and made 33 appearances from his debut in 1995, scoring 9 goals. Career Atlético Nacional and River Plate Ángel started playing professional football at Atlético Nacional in his home city of Medellín. Ángel began to make a name for himself when he scored the winning goal against local rival Independiente Medellín to help Nacional capture the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Taylor (footballer, Born 1968)
Ian Kenneth Taylor (born 4 June 1968) is an English former professional footballer and sports television pundit. He played as a midfielder and best known for his time at Aston Villa. A midfielder, he had a fifteen-year career in the Football League and Premier League, scoring 103 goals in 577 league and cup competitions. He made the move from non-league Moor Green to Port Vale in 1992. With Vale he lifted the Football League Trophy in 1993. His impressive performances earned him a place on the Second Division PFA Team of the Year in 1992–93 & 1993–94, as well as the club's Player of the Year award in 1993. He made a million pound move to Sheffield Wednesday in June 1994, and he was sold on for another million to Aston Villa later in the year. He lifted the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final with the club he had supported as a boy. In 2003, he signed with Derby County, helping the club to the Championship play-offs before signing with Northampton Town in June 2005. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry (born 23 February 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made 653 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and West Bromwich Albion, the highest number of appearances in the Premier League. He also represented England at international level. Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa and is eighth in their all-time list of appearances, with 441 across all competitions, including 365 in the Premier League. He joined Manchester City for a fee of £12 million in June 2009, where he won the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League title the following season. After a season on loan, he joined Everton on a three-year contract in July 2014, and on its expiration he signed for West Bromwich Albion. Barry is a former England international, having won his first full cap in 2000 and captained the side in 2010 in a friend ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alpay Özalan
Fehmi Alpay Özalan (born 29 May 1973) is a Turkish former professional footballer, football manager and politician. He last worked as the manager of Samsunspor. He played 90 international games for Turkey between 1995 and 2005, making him Turkey's seventh-most capped player of all time. This included performances at two European Championships and the 2002 World Cup, in which he was selected for the Team of the Tournament. Since 2018, he is a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Club career Early career His senior career started at Soma Linyitspor at TFF Third League. His performances caught the eyes of the biggest teams in Turkey. In 1993, Özalan signed for one of the major Turkish clubs Beşiktaş. Özalan set a record in the Süper Lig, earning three red cards in the space of six months. He played 148 matches for Beşiktaş, netting nine times. After six years at the club, a new deal could not be negotiated. His co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
