| Club: | Portsmouth |
| Season: | 2002–03 |
| Manager: | Harry Redknapp |
| Chairman: | Milan Mandarić |
| Stadium: | Fratton Park |
| League: | First Division |
| League Result: | 1st (promoted) |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Third round |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Second round |
| League Topscorer: | Svetoslav Todorov (26) |
| Season Topscorer: | Svetoslav Todorov (26) |
| Highest Attendance: | 19,558 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (15 March 2003) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 17,201 vs. Millwall (14 September 2002) |
| Average Attendance: | 18,379 |
| Prevseason: | 2001–02 |
| Nextseason: | 2003–04 |
During the 2002–03 English football season, Portsmouth competed in the Football League First Division.
Portsmouth led the First Division for most of the season, and eventually finished as champions, six points clear of second-placed Leicester City. As champions, Portsmouth gained promotion to the FA Premier League, returning to the top flight after an absence of 15 years.
Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov silenced his critics by finishing top scorer in the division with 26 goals, overhauling Nottingham Forest's David Johnson with a hat-trick against Bradford City on the last day of the season, in the game that confirmed Portsmouth as Football League champions.
Portsmouth continue to produce their own kits under the club's own brand, Pompey Sport.
See main article: 2002–03 Football League.
Portsmouth's score comes first[1]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 2002 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–0 | 18,910 | Burton, Péricard | |
| 13 August 2002 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | 16,093 | Burton | |
| 17 August 2002 | Crystal Palace | A | 3–2 | 18,315 | Foxe, Crowe (2) | |
| 24 August 2002 | Watford | H | 3–0 | 17,901 | Merson, Todorov, Burton | |
| 26 August 2002 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–0 | 5,770 | Burchill | |
| 31 August 2002 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 4–2 | 19,031 | Taylor, Merson (pen), Todorov, Crowe | |
| 7 September 2002 | Gillingham | A | 3–1 | 8,717 | Merson, Burchill, O'Neil | |
| 14 September 2002 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 17,201 | Todorov | |
| 17 September 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 4–1 | 18,837 | Péricard, Todorov, Williams (own goal), Taylor | |
| 21 September 2002 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 21,335 | ||
| 28 September 2002 | Bradford City | H | 3–0 | 18,459 | Quashie (2), Péricard | |
| 5 October 2002 | Rotherham United | A | 3–2 | 8,604 | Péricard, Todorov, Merson (pen) | |
| 19 October 2002 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 18,837 | Péricard | |
| 26 October 2002 | Burnley | A | 3–0 | 15,788 | Quashie, Todorov, Harper | |
| 29 October 2002 | Preston North End | H | 3–2 | 18,637 | Stone, Merson, Taylor | |
| 2 November 2002 | Leicester City | H | 0–2 | 19,107 | ||
| 6 November 2002 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 27,022 | Merson | |
| 9 November 2002 | Derby County | A | 2–1 | 26,587 | Todorov, Burchill | |
| 16 November 2002 | Stoke City | H | 3–0 | 18,701 | Burchill, Péricard, Todorov | |
| 23 November 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 3–1 | 16,602 | Todorov (2), O'Neil | |
| 30 November 2002 | Walsall | H | 3–2 | 17,701 | Quashie, Todorov, Taylor | |
| 7 December 2002 | Reading | A | 0–0 | 23,462 | ||
| 14 December 2002 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | 13,330 | Crowe | |
| 21 December 2002 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–1 | 19,130 | Todorov | |
| 26 December 2002 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–1 | 19,217 | Merson | |
| 28 December 2002 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–1 | 28,165 | Taylor, Péricard | |
| 1 January 2003 | Watford | A | 2–2 | 15,048 | Burton, Harper | |
| 13 January 2003 | Sheffield United | H | 1–2 | 18,872 | O'Neil | |
| 18 January 2003 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–1 | 6,848 | Todorov | |
| 1 February 2003 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–0 | 19,248 | Yakubu, Ford (own goal), Quashie | |
| 8 February 2003 | Derby County | H | 6–2 | 19,503 | Merson, Yakubu (2), Taylor, Todorov (2) | |
| 17 February 2003 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 31,775 | Taylor | |
| 22 February 2003 | Gillingham | H | 1–0 | 19,521 | de Zeeuw | |
| 1 March 2003 | Millwall | A | 5–0 | 9,697 | Yakubu (2), Sherwood, Todorov, Merson (pen) | |
| 4 March 2003 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 10,356 | Merson | |
| 12 March 2003 | Norwich City | H | 3–2 | 19,221 | Yakubu, Todorov (2) | |
| 15 March 2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 19,558 | Stone | |
| 19 March 2003 | Coventry City | A | 4–0 | 13,922 | Caldwell (own goal), Stone, Harper, Merson | |
| 22 March 2003 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | 16,665 | Yakubu | |
| 5 April 2003 | Walsall | A | 2–1 | 7,899 | Harper, Todorov | |
| 12 April 2003 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–2 | 19,524 | Bradbury | |
| 15 April 2003 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 19,221 | Todorov | |
| 18 April 2003 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–3 | 29,396 | ||
| 21 April 2003 | Reading | H | 3–0 | 19,535 | Péricard (2), Todorov | |
| 27 April 2003 | Rotherham United | H | 3–2 | 19,420 | Merson (pen), Todorov (2) | |
| 4 May 2003 | Bradford City | A | 5–0 | 19,088 | Festa, Todorov (3, 1 pen), Stone |
See main article: 2002–03 FA Cup.
| R3 | 4 January 2003 | Manchester United | A | 1–4 | 67,222 | Stone |
See main article: 2002–03 Football League Cup.
| R1 | 10 September 2002 | Peterborough United | H | 2–0 | 8,581 | Quashie, Primus | |
| R2 | 1 October 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 1–3 | 11,754 | Péricard |
The following players had squad numbers and/or professional contracts but did not make a first-team appearance during the season[2]
Considering starts in all competitions[3]
Hayden Foxe, 31
Gianluca Festa, 29
Vincent Péricard, 19 (#19, Steve Stone, also has 19 starts, as a right wing-back)