Derby were expected to make a bid for an immediate return to the Premiership, but struggled all season which resulted in manager John Gregory being sacked in March and replaced by former Ipswich Town manager George Burley, who led the team to a secure but disappointing 18th-place finish.
Derby retained the previous season's home kit, manufactured by Italian company Erreà and sponsored by Pedigree .
Updated to match(es) played on 11 May 2003. Source:
Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Derby County's score comes first [ 1]
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorers
10 August 2002
Reading H
3–0
33,016
Lee , Ravanelli , Christie
13 August 2002
Gillingham A
0–1
8,775
17 August 2002
Grimsby Town A
2–1
5,810
Bolder (2)
24 August 2002
Wolverhampton Wanderers H
1–4
29,954
Christie
26 August 2002
Rotherham United A
1–2
8,408
Strupar
31 August 2002
Stoke City H
2–0
21,723
Christie (2)
7 September 2002
Burnley H
1–2
22,343
Bolder
14 September 2002
Leicester City A
1–3
31,049
Riggott
17 September 2002
Crystal Palace A
1–0
14,948
Kinkladze
21 September 2002
Preston North End H
0–2
29,257
28 September 2002
Ipswich Town A
1–0
24,439
Carbonari
5 October 2002
Walsall H
2–2
25,247
Christie (2)
12 October 2002
Bradford City A
0–0
13,385
20 October 2002
Nottingham Forest H
0–0
30,547
26 October 2002
Millwall A
0–3
8,116
30 October 2002
Sheffield United H
2–1
23,525
McLeod , Burton
2 November 2002
Sheffield Wednesday A
3–1
19,747
Morris (2), McLeod
9 November 2002
Portsmouth H
1–2
26,587
Higginbotham (pen)
16 November 2002
Brighton & Hove Albion A
0–1
6,845
25 November 2002
Wimbledon H
3–2
25,597
Elliott , Burton , Morris
30 November 2002
Norwich City A
0–1
20,522
7 December 2002
Watford H
3–0
21,653
Morris , Riggott , Burton
14 December 2002
Brighton & Hove Albion H
1–0
25,786
Higginbotham (pen)
21 December 2002
Coventry City A
0–3
13,185
26 December 2002
Grimsby Town H
1–3
27,141
Morris
28 December 2002
Reading A
1–2
16,299
Burley (pen)
1 January 2003
Wolverhampton Wanderers A
1–1
26,442
Christie
11 January 2003
Gillingham H
1–1
22,769
Zavagno (pen)
18 January 2003
Stoke City A
3–1
17,308
Christie , Zavagno , Morris
1 February 2003
Rotherham United H
3–0
26,257
Kinkladze , Bolder , McLeod
8 February 2003
Portsmouth A
2–6
19,503
Morris , Kinkladze (pen)
15 February 2003
Sheffield Wednesday H
2–2
26,311
Bolder (2)
22 February 2003
Burnley A
0–2
15,063
1 March 2003
Leicester City H
1–1
24,307
Burley
5 March 2003
Crystal Palace H
0–1
22,682
8 March 2003
Preston North End A
2–4
14,003
Ravanelli (2)
15 March 2003
Bradford City H
1–2
23,735
Morris
19 March 2003
Nottingham Forest A
0–3
29,725
22 March 2003
Sheffield United A
0–2
18,401
5 April 2003
Norwich City H
2–1
23,643
Burley , Kenton (own goal)
12 April 2003
Wimbledon A
2–0
1,934
Valakari , Boertien
16 April 2003
Millwall H
1–2
21,014
Kinkladze
19 April 2003
Coventry City H
1–0
23,921
Ravanelli
21 April 2003
Watford A
0–2
11,909
26 April 2003
Walsall A
2–3
8,416
Valakari , Ravanelli
4 May 2003
Ipswich Town H
1–4
28,785
Lee
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
R3
4 January 2003
Brentford A
0–1
8,709
Squad at end of season [ 2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Left club during season
edit
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Darryl Powell – released (later joined Birmingham City on 12 September)[ 3] Brian O'Neil – released, 27 November[ 4] Preston North End )Fiachra McArdle – released, 27 NovemberDeon Burton – Portsmouth , 11 December, £250,000Mart Poom – Sunderland , 10 January, £2,500,000[ 5] Chris Riggott and Malcolm Christie – Middlesbrough , 31 January, £3,000,000 combined[ 6] Danny Higginbotham – Southampton , 31 January, £1,500,000[ 7] Bjørn Otto Bragstad – released (later joined SW Bregenz )Horacio Carbonari – released (later joined Rosario Central ) 
