| Club: | Dumbarton |
| Season: | 2002-03 |
| Manager: | David Winnie/ Brian Fairlie |
| Stadium: | Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton |
| League: | Scottish League Division 2 |
| League Result: | 6th |
| Cup1 Result: | First Round |
| Cup2 Result: | First Round |
| Cup3 Result: | Third Round |
| Matches: | 41 |
| Total Goals: | 52 |
| League Topscorer: | Paddy Flannery/ Gary McCutcheon (8) |
| Season Topscorer: | John Dillon (9) |
| Highest Attendance: | 1,501 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 480 |
| Average Attendance: | 950 |
| Prevseason: | 2001–02 |
| Nextseason: | 2003–04 |
Season 2002–03 was the 119th football season in which Dumbarton competed at a Scottish national level, entering the Scottish Football League for the 97th time, the Scottish Cup for the 108th time, the Scottish League Cup for the 56th time and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the 12th time.
Season 2002-03 began with yet another new manager at the helm. Following the success of promotion the season before, Tom Carson had fallen out with the board and left the club, to be replaced by David Winnie. The league campaign, as was so often the case with Dumbarton, started well and then fell away. By March there were some concerns of a return to Division 3, resulting in David Winnie's departure as manager. Fortunately his replacement Brian Fairlie had the desired effect and a final unbeaten 7 game run ensured a creditable 6th place.
In the Scottish Cup, for the second year running, it would be a first round exit, this time to Raith Rovers.
In the League Cup, Inverness Caledonian Thistle were to prove too much to handle in the first round.
Finally, in the Scottish Challenge Cup, it was a case of 'role reversal'. In the competition which had seen just one win in ten attempts, this season would see a mini cup run before Queen of the South would bring it to an end in the third round.
Locally, in the Stirlingshire Cup, Dumbarton played just one group tie, losing to Falkirk on penalties after a drawn game.
See main article: 2002–03 Scottish Second Division.
See main article: 2002–03 Scottish Challenge Cup.
See main article: 2002–03 Scottish League Cup.
See main article: 2002–03 Scottish Cup.
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| Player | From | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brown | Alloa Athletic | 16 Jul 2002 | |
| Neil Duffy | Ayr United | 16 Jul 2002 | |
| Neil Collins | Queen's Park | 27 Jul 2002 | |
| Stephen Grindlay | Newcastle United | 2 Aug 2002 | |
| Craig McEwan | Ayr United | 2 Aug 2002 | |
| Gary McCutcheon | Kilmarnock | 23 Aug 2002 | |
| Neil Scally | Ayr United | 30 Aug 2002 | |
| Barry Donald | Queen of the South | 13 Jan 2003 | |
| Emeka Obidile | Cowdenbeath | 24 Jan 2003 | |
| Iain Russell | Motherwell | 31 Jan 2003 |
| Player | To | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Dunn | Stirling Albion | 30 Aug 2002 | |
| Mark Crilly | Stirling Albion | 28 Jan 2003 | |
| Martin O'Neill | Auchinleck Talbot | ||
| Jon Connelly | Cumnock | ||
| Stephen Jack | Pollok | ||
| Danny McKelvie | Johnstone Burgh | ||
| Joe Robertson |