The 2002-03 campaign delivered a hard-fought First Division survival for Walsall as The Saddlers finished 17th, securing a third consecutive season in the second tier. Leading the charge was Brazilian striker José Júnior, whose 15 league goals and potent Portuguese-speaking partnership with Jorge Leitão proved vital in a campaign also highlighted by a memorable run to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. It was a successful year under manager Colin Lee that remains a defining chapter of The Saddlers' modern history.