The 2002-03 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak and a turbulent relegation for Brighton & Hove Albion as The Seagulls finished a crushing 23rd in the First Division, ending their brief stay in the second tier. The team endured a 12-match losing streak and a mid-season managerial change to Steve Coppell, but a great escape proved impossible on the final day. Leading the charge was the sensational striker Bobby Zamora, whose 14 goals proved crucial in a desperate fight for survival. It was a tumultuous year that marked the end of their brief return to the second tier and the immediate departure of their talisman to Tottenham Hotspur.