| Club: | Nottingham Forest |
| Season: | 2002–03 |
| Manager: | Paul Hart |
| Chairman: | Nigel Doughty |
| Stadium: | City Ground |
| League: | First Division |
| League Result: | 6th |
| Cup1: | Play-offs |
| Cup1 Result: | Semi-finals |
| Cup2: | FA Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| Cup3: | League Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | Second round |
| League Topscorer: | David Johnson (25) |
| Season Topscorer: | David Johnson (29) |
| Pattern La1: | _whitelower |
| Pattern B1: | _thinwhitesides |
| Pattern Ra1: | _whitelower |
| Leftarm1: | DD0000 |
| Body1: | DD0000 |
| Rightarm1: | DD0000 |
| Shorts1: | FFFFFF |
| Socks1: | DD0000 |
| Pattern La2: | greenlower |
| Pattern B2: | _thingreensides |
| Pattern Sh2: | thingreensides |
| Leftarm2: | 000080 |
| Body2: | 000080 |
| Rightarm2: | 000080 |
| Shorts2: | 000080 |
| Socks2: | 000080 |
| Leftarm3: | FFFFFF |
| Body3: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm3: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts3: | DD0000 |
| Socks3: | FFFFFF |
| Prevseason: | 2001–02 |
| Nextseason: | 2003–04 |
During the 2002–03 English football season, Nottingham Forest competed in the Football League First Division.
Nottingham Forest rebounded from the previous season's disappointment to finish 6th in the First Division, setting up a play-off with third-placed Sheffield United. Forest were beaten 5–4 on aggregate over two epic semi-final legs, consigning the club to another season in English football's second tier.
See main article: 2002–03 Football League First Division.
Squad at end of season[1]
|-|}
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 2002 | Portsmouth | A | 0–2 | 18,910 | ||
| 14 August 2002 | Preston North End | H | 2-2 | 18,065 | Johnson, Jess | |
| 17 August 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 4–0 | 21,129 | Harewood, Lester, Scimeca (2) | |
| 24 August 2002 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 5,096 | Prutton | |
| 28 August 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 2–0 | 16,431 | Johnson (2) | |
| 31 August 2002 | Coventry City | A | 1–0 | 13,732 | Scimeca | |
| 14 September 2002 | Watford | H | 0–1 | 17,865 | ||
| 18 September 2002 | Gillingham | H | 4–1 | 16,073 | Harewood (3), Johnson | |
| 21 September 2002 | Grimsby Town | A | 3–0 | 7,072 | Johnson (3) | |
| 25 September 2002 | Stoke City | A | 2–2 | 14,554 | Dawson, Johnson | |
| 28 September 2002 | Rotherham United | H | 3–2 | 25,089 | ||
| 5 October 2002 | Millwall | A | 2–1 | 10,521 | Johnson (2) | |
| 20 October 2002 | Derby County | A | 0–0 | 30,547 | ||
| 26 October 2002 | Leicester City | H | 2–2 | 29,497 | Johnson, Lester | |
| 29 October 2002 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 20,986 | ||
| 2 November 2002 | Sheffield United | H | 3–0 | 22,579 | ||
| 9 November 2002 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 18,971 | ||
| 16 November 2002 | Bradford City | H | 3–0 | 19,653 | ||
| 23 November 2002 | Wolves | A | 1–2 | 27,953 | Harewood | |
| 27 November 2002 | Brighton | H | 3–2 | 29,137 | Harewood, Johnson, Lester | |
| 30 November 2002 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–0 | 24,898 | Johnson (2), | |
| 7 December 2002 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 13,869 | ||
| 14 December 2002 | Bradford City | A | 0–1 | 12,245 | ||
| 21 December 2002 | Reading | H | 2–0 | 25,831 | Johnson, Harewood, | |
| 26 December 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–2 | 26,362 | ||
| 28 December 2002 | Portsmouth | H | 1–2 | 28,165 | Dawson | |
| 1 January 2003 | Walsall | H | 1–1 | 28,441 | Thompson | |
| 18 January 2003 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 24,487 | Williams | |
| 25 January 2003 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | 13,508 | Johnson | |
| 1 February 2003 | Wimbledon | A | 3–2 | 3,382 | Harewood (2), Johnson, | |
| 8 February 2003 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–1 | 26,012 | Dawson, Harewood | |
| 22 February 2003 | Stoke City | H | 6–0 | 24,085 | Harewood (4), Johnson, Jess | |
| 1 March 2003 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 17,934 | Huckerby | |
| 4 March 2003 | Gillingham | A | 4–1 | 7,277 | Huckerby (2), Harewood, Thompson | |
| 10 March 2003 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–2 | 25,507 | Reid, Williams | |
| 15 March 2003 | Brighton | A | 0–1 | 6,830 | ||
| 19 March 2003 | Derby County | H | 3–0 | 29,725 | Harewood (2), Huckerby | |
| 22 March 2003 | Norwich City | H | 4–0 | 27,296 | Huckerby, Harewood, Williams, Brennan | |
| 5 April 2003 | Ipswich Town | A | 4–3 | 29,503 | Harewood (2), Thompson, OG | |
| 8 April 2003 | Leicester City | A | 0–1 | 32,065 | ||
| 11 April 2003 | Wolves | H | 2–2 | 27,209 | Johnson, Dawson | |
| 15 April 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 0-1 | 23,317 | ||
| 18 April 2003 | Reading | A | 0–1 | 21,612 | ||
| 21 April 2003 | Burnley | H | 2–0 | 25,403 | Dawson, Johnson | |
| 26 April 2003 | Millwall | H | 3–3 | 29,763 | Jess, Bopp, Johnson | |
| 4 May 2003 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | 9,942 | Lester, Westcarr |
| 10 May 2003 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 29,064 | Johnson |
| 15 May 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 4–3 | 24,477 | |
See main article: 2002–03 FA Cup.
See main article: 2002–03 Football League Cup.
| R1 | 11 September 2002 | Kidderminster Harriers | H | 4–0 | 4,950 | Lester (2), Johnson, Scimeca |
| R2 | 2 October 2002 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 4,477 | Johnson |