| Club: | Walsall |
| Season: | 2002–03 |
| Manager: | Colin Lee |
| Chairman: | Jeff Bonser |
| Stadium: | Bescot Stadium |
| League: | First Division |
| League Result: | 17th |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Fifth round |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| League Topscorer: | José Júnior (15) |
| Season Topscorer: | José Júnior (16) |
| Highest Attendance: | 11,037 (vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 11 January) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 3,847 (vs. Shrewsbury Town, 10 September) |
| Average Attendance: | 6,978 |
| Pattern La1: | _whiteshoulders |
| Pattern B1: | _whiteshoulders |
| Pattern Ra1: | _whiteshoulders |
| Pattern Sh1: | _whitesides |
| Pattern So1: | _2whitestripes |
| Leftarm1: | ff0000 |
| Body1: | ff0000 |
| Rightarm1: | ff0000 |
| Shorts1: | ff0000 |
| Socks1: | ff0000 |
| Prevseason: | 2001–02 |
| Nextseason: | 2003–04 |
During the 2002–03 English football season, Walsall competed in the Football League First Division. It was the club's second consecutive season at that level.
Walsall managed to avoid relegation to extend their stay in English football's second tier to a third season. Much of their success was down to the signing of key players, such as ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Vinny Samways, returning to English football after a six-year spell in Spain.
Xara became Walsall's new kit manufacturers. Banks's remained the kit sponsors.
See main article: 2002–03 Football League First Division.
Walsall's score comes first[1]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 2002 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–2 | 5,253 | ||
| 14 August 2002 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 27,904 | Herivelto | |
| 17 August 2002 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | 14,011 | Corica | |
| 24 August 2002 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–1 | 5,096 | Sonner (pen), Wrack | |
| 26 August 2002 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–0 | 6,519 | Corica, Leitão | |
| 31 August 2002 | Reading | H | 0–2 | 5,327 | ||
| 7 September 2002 | Watford | A | 0–2 | 10,528 | ||
| 14 September 2002 | Bradford City | H | 0–1 | 4,678 | ||
| 17 September 2002 | Rotherham United | H | 3–4 | 4,648 | Zdrilic (2), Leitão | |
| 21 September 2002 | Millwall | A | 3–0 | 7,525 | Zdrilic, Wrack, Leitão | |
| 28 September 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | 6,792 | Simpson | |
| 5 October 2002 | Derby County | A | 2–2 | 25,247 | Corica, Aranalde (pen) | |
| 12 October 2002 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | 12,907 | Birch | |
| 19 October 2002 | Preston North End | H | 3–3 | 6,832 | Leitão, Júnior, Aranalde (pen) | |
| 26 October 2002 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | 14,544 | ||
| 29 October 2002 | Crystal Palace | H | 3–4 | 6,368 | Corica, Júnior (2) | |
| 2 November 2002 | Stoke City | H | 4–2 | 6,391 | Leitão (2), Júnior, Aranalde (pen) | |
| 9 November 2002 | Leicester City | A | 0–2 | 25,243 | ||
| 16 November 2002 | Wimbledon | A | 2–3 | 1,255 | Júnior, Sonner (pen) | |
| 23 November 2002 | Gillingham | H | 1–0 | 6,630 | Júnior | |
| 30 November 2002 | Portsmouth | A | 2–3 | 17,701 | Sonner (2 pens) | |
| 7 December 2002 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–1 | 5,888 | Júnior, Leitão, Wrack | |
| 14 December 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 2–0 | 6,596 | Wrack, Júnior | |
| 21 December 2002 | Norwich City | A | 1–2 | 19,872 | Easton (own goal) | |
| 26 December 2002 | Sheffield United | H | 0–1 | 10,459 | ||
| 28 December 2002 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–3 | 26,550 | Wrack (2) | |
| 1 January 2003 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | 28,441 | Ainsworth | |
| 11 January 2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–1 | 11,037 | ||
| 18 January 2003 | Reading | A | 0–0 | 11,786 | ||
| 1 February 2003 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 1–0 | 8,413 | Leitão | |
| 8 February 2003 | Leicester City | H | 1–4 | 8,741 | O'Connor | |
| 22 February 2003 | Watford | H | 2–0 | 7,705 | Júnior, Leitão | |
| 26 February 2003 | Stoke City | A | 0–1 | 10,409 | ||
| 1 March 2003 | Bradford City | A | 2–1 | 10,893 | Robinson, Matías | |
| 4 March 2003 | Rotherham United | A | 0–0 | 5,792 | ||
| 8 March 2003 | Millwall | H | 1–2 | 6,647 | Júnior | |
| 15 March 2003 | Burnley | H | 3–2 | 6,327 | Leitão, Carbon, Matías | |
| 18 March 2003 | Preston North End | A | 0–5 | 11,170 | ||
| 22 March 2003 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–2 | 19,102 | ||
| 5 April 2003 | Portsmouth | H | 1–2 | 7,899 | Júnior | |
| 12 April 2003 | Gillingham | A | 1–0 | 6,972 | Leitão | |
| 15 April 2003 | Coventry City | H | 0–0 | 7,337 | ||
| 19 April 2003 | Norwich City | H | 0–0 | 7,018 | ||
| 21 April 2003 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–0 | 4,618 | Júnior | |
| 26 April 2003 | Derby County | H | 3–2 | 8,416 | Júnior (3) | |
| 4 May 2003 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–2 | 20,864 | Matías |
See main article: 2002–03 FA Cup.
| R3 | 4 January 2003 | Reading | H | 0–0 | 5,987 | ||
| R3R | 14 January 2003 | Reading | A | 1–1 (won 4–1 on pens) | 8,767 | Wrack | |
| R4 | 25 January 2003 | Wimbledon | H | 1–0 | 6,693 | Zdrilic | |
| R5 | 15 February 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 0–2 | 17,510 |
See main article: 2002–03 Football League Cup.
| R1 | 10 September 2002 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–0 | 3,847 | Leitão | |
| R2 | 2 October 2002 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–1 | 6,343 | Leitão, Júnior | |
| R3 | 6 November 2002 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–2 (lost 4–5 on pens) | 9,486 | Aranalde (pen), Zdrilic |
Squad at end of season[2]