2002–03 Football League First Division


The 2002–03 Football League First Division was the eleventh season of the league under its current format as the second tier of English football.
Portsmouth won the division to return to the Premier League after a fifteen-year absence. In Harry Redknapp's first full season in charge the team secured the title on 27 April, with a victory over Rotherham, having been promoted with four games to spare by defeating Burnley.
Leicester City were promoted at the first attempt following their relegation. Their promotion was contentious as they entered administration during the season due to debts in excess of £50 million stemming from their loss of Premier League income and major investment in a new stadium, but were able to write-off these entirely when a new consortium took control and therefore avoided having to sell off players. Following this incident, the Football League would introduce rules that penalised any club entering administration with a ten-point points deduction; although Leicester would still have finished in second place had been this been applied.
Wolverhampton Wanderers won the play-offs to reach the modern-day Premiership for the first time after a 3–0 win in the play-off final against a Sheffield United team which had reached the semi-finals of both domestic cup competitions. This marked a return to top-flight football for Wolves after a nineteen-year exodus that had seen them fall as low as the fourth tier. Also leaving the division were Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton & Hove Albion and Grimsby Town, who were all relegated.

Team changes from previous season

From the First Division

Promoted to the Premiership:
Relegated to the Second Division:
Relegated from the Premiership:
Promoted from the Second Division:

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Bradford CityBradfordBradford & Bingley Stadium25,136
BurnleyBurnleyTurf Moor22,546
Brighton & Hove AlbionBrightonWithdean Stadium8,850
Coventry CityCoventryHighfield Road23,489
Crystal PalaceLondonSelhurst Park26,309
Derby CountyDerbyPride Park33,597
GillinghamGillinghamPriestfield Stadium11,582
Grimsby TownCleethorpesBlundell Park10,033
Ipswich TownIpswichPortman Road30,311
Leicester CityLeicesterWalkers Stadium32,500
MillwallLondonThe New Den20,146
Nottingham ForestNottinghamCity Ground30,576
Norwich CityNorwichCarrow Road26,018
PortsmouthPortsmouthFratton Park20,224
Preston North EndPrestonDeepdale23,408
ReadingReadingMadejski Stadium24,161
Rotherham UnitedRotherhamMillmoor8,300
Sheffield UnitedSheffieldBramall Lane32,702
Sheffield WednesdaySheffieldHillsborough39,812
Stoke CityStokeBritannia Stadium27,740
WalsallWalsallBescot Stadium11,300
WatfordWatfordVicarage Road17,504
WimbledonLondonSelhurst Park126,309
Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhamptonMolineux27,828

Managerial changes

Play-offs

Awards

;PFA Team of the Year
Pos.PlayerClub
GK Shaka HislopPortsmouth
DF Denis IrwinWolverhampton Wanderers
DF Joleon LescottWolverhampton Wanderers
DF Michael DawsonNottingham Forest
DF Matthew TaylorPortsmouth
MF Muzzy IzzetLeicester City
MF Michael BrownSheffield United
MF Paul MersonPortsmouth
MF Michael TongeSheffield United
FW David JohnsonNottingham Forest
FW Paul DickovLeicester City