Manager Steve Whitton was content with the way he was progressing the club but the supporters were not, with the U's recording a 15th position finish the previous season, 17th and 18th prior to that. One fan noted that it would take another fourteen years before they could expect promotion to the second tier at that rate.

The collapse of ITV Digital spelt disaster for many clubs who had spent their money on players or new facilities before it had reached them. Prudently, Chairman Peter Heard never budgeted more than his club could afford.

Whitton was unable to bolster his squad to push on quicker and after losing to Conference side Chester in the FA Cup at Layer Road and seven games without a win he left by 'mutual consent' in January 2003. This was very much the Peter Heard way, but Whitton insisted he was sacked. Assistant Geraint Williams took caretaker charge, fared well, and put himself forward as a candidate. However, with his many contacts at FA Board level, Heard introduced a surprise when he appointed Reading's player-coach Phil Parkinson as United's new boss. Parkinson saved United from relegation certainty to 12th place, their highest position for 23 years. The season did finish with a record-equalling 5-0 home defeat to Luton but Parkinson was experimenting, rather too much, with his squad.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

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Wikipedia