2003–04 Football League

The Football League
Season 2003–04
Champions Norwich City
Promoted Norwich City
West Bromwich Albion
Crystal Palace
Relegated Carlisle United
York City

The 2003–04 Football League (known as the Nationwide Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 105th completed season of The Football League.

This was the last season of the Football League with the Nationwide Building Society as title sponsor, and the last in which the divisions were known as the First, Second and Third Divisions: from the following season they would be known as the Championship, League One and League Two respectively.

Norwich City won the First Division, thus returning to the Premier League for the first time since 1994–95. Also promoted to the top flight were West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace. Plymouth Argyle won the Second Division, while Doncaster Rovers won the Third.

Final league tables and results

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[1] with home and away statistics separated. Play-off results are from the same website.

First Division

Football League First Division
Season 2003–04
Champions Norwich City (3rd second tier title)
Direct promotion to FA Premier League Norwich City,
West Bromwich Albion
Promoted to FA Premier League through play-offs Crystal Palace
Relegated Bradford City,
Walsall,
Wimbledon
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,435 (2.6 per match)
Top goalscorer Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace), 27 [2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Norwich City 4618324415107635247939+4094
2West Bromwich Albion4614543416116630266442+2286
3Sunderland461382331595929306245+1779
4West Ham United4612744220710625256745+2274
5Ipswich Town461238493697735368472+1273
6Crystal Palace46108534251121038367261+1173
7Wigan Athletic461184291679731296045+1571
8Sheffield United461166372595928316556+971
9Reading4611662925941026325557–270
10Millwall461184281577927335548+7692004–05 UEFA Cup
First round
11Stoke City4611753524751123315855+366
12Coventry City469953422851033326754+1365
13Cardiff City461067402578828336858+1065
14Nottingham Forest468963325761028336158+360
15Preston North End4611754329471226426971–259
16Watford469863128641323405468–1457
17Rotherham United468873127571122345361–854
18Crewe Alexandra4611393326381224405766–953
19Burnley469683732481123456077–1753
20Derby County4611573933281314345367–1452
21Gillingham46101122834481120334867–1951
22Walsall468782931551316344565–2051
23Bradford City4663142335431615343869–3136
24Wimbledon4634162140511720494189–4829

[1]

  • Pld = Matches; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Football League Champions, promoted to FA Premier League
Promoted to FA Premier League
Participated in play-offs
Promoted to Premier League through play-offs
FA Cup runners-up, qualified for UEFA Cup
Relegated

Play-offs

  Semi-finals
1st leg – 14/15 May; 2nd leg – 17/18 May 2004		 Final at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
29 May 2004
                     
3rd Sunderland 2 2 4 (4)  
6th Crystal Palace (pens.) 3 1 4 (5)  
    4th West Ham United 0
  6th Crystal Palace 1
4th West Ham United 0 2 2
5th Ipswich Town 1 0 1  

First Division maps

Locations of the London teams in the 2003–04 First Division

First Division topscorers

Rank Player Club League
1England Andrew Johnson Crystal Palace 28
2England Marlon HarewoodWest Ham United /
Nottingham Forest		25
3Wales Robert EarnshawCardiff City21
4England Dean AshtonCrewe Alexandra19
=England Robbie BlakeBurnley19
6England Nathan EllingtonWigan Athletic18
7England Darren BentIpswich Town17
=Jamaica Ricardo FullerPreston North End17
9England Marcus StewartSunderland16
10Northern Ireland David HealyPreston North End15
=England Martin ButlerRotherham United15
=England Steve JonesCrewe Alexandra15

[3]

Second Division

Football League Second Division
Season 2003–04
Champions Plymouth Argyle (2nd third tier title)
Direct promotion Plymouth Argyle,
Queens Park Rangers
Promoted through play-offs Brighton & Hove Albion
Relegated Grimsby Town,
Notts County,
Rushden & Diamonds,
Wycombe Wanderers
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,460 (2.64 per match)
Top goalscorer Leon Knight (Brighton & Hove Albion), 25
Stephen McPhee (Port Vale), 25 [2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Plymouth Argyle 461751521397733288541+4490
2Queens Park Rangers4616704712610733338045+3583
3Bristol City461562341287824255837+2182
4Brighton & Hove Albion4617423911571125326443+2177
5Swindon Town461274412386935357658+1873
6Hartlepool United4610853924105837377661+1573
7Port Vale4615624528641328357362+1073
8Tranmere Rovers4613733618491023385956+367
9Bournemouth4611843525671021265651+566
10Luton Town4614634427391125396966+366
11Colchester United4611843323651219335256–464
12Barnsley4671242519851029395458–462
13Wrexham469682721831223395060–1060
14Blackpool469593128761027375865–759
15Oldham Athletic469863725313729356660+657
16Sheffield Wednesday467972526651223384864–1653
17Brentford469593438561218315269–1753
18Peterborough United465810363378822255858052
19Stockport County466893136511731346270–852
20Chesterfield469773431381215404971–2251
21Grimsby Town4610583626361419555531–2650
22Rushden & Diamonds469593734441523406074–1448
23Notts County466983227431618515078–2842
24Wycombe Wanderers46571131391121019365075–2537

[1]

  • Pld = Matches; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated

Play-offs

  Semi-finals
1st leg – 15/16 May; 2nd leg – 19/20 May 2004		 Final at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
30 May 2004
                     
3rd Bristol City 1 2 3  
6th Hartlepool United 1 1 2  
    3rd Bristol City 0
  4th Brighton & Hove Albion 1
4th Brighton & Hove Albion (pens.) 1 1 2 (4)
5th Swindon Town 0 2 2 (3)  

Second Division maps

Locations of the London teams in the 2003–04 Second Division

Second Division topscorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1England Leon Knight Brighton & Hove Albion 26
2Scotland Stephen McPheePort Vale24
3Republic of Ireland Paul HeffernanNotts County20
=England Sam ParkinSwindon Town20
5England Tommy MooneySwindon Town19
6England Kevin GallenQueens Park Rangers17
7Ivory Coast Eugene DadiTranmere Rovers16
=England Paul FurlongQueens Park Rangers16
=England Scott TaylorBlackpool16
10Jamaica Onandi LoweRushden & Diamonds15

[4]

Third Division

Football League Third Division
Season 2003–04
Champions Doncaster Rovers (3rd fourth tier title)
Direct promotion Doncaster Rovers,
Hull City,
Torquay United
Promoted through play-offs Huddersfield Town
Relegated to Conference Carlisle United,
York City
New clubs in the league Doncaster Rovers,
Yeovil Town
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,398 (2.53 per match)
Top goalscorer Steven MacLean (Scunthorpe United), 23[2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Doncaster Rovers 4617424713107632247937+4292
2Hull City461643502199532238244+3888
3Torquay United461562441886924266844+2481
4Huddersfield Town461643421878826346852+1681
5Mansfield Town4613554425941032377662+1475
6Northampton Town461346302395928285851+775
7Lincoln City4691133623106732246847+2174
8Yeovil Town4614364019921230387057+1374
9Oxford United4614813413491021315544+1171
10Swansea City469863626661122355861–359
11Boston United4611753521541415335054–459
12Bury4610762926541425385464–1056
13Cambridge United466710263287829355567–1256
14Cheltenham Town46114837383101020335771–1456
15Bristol Rovers469772926561221355061–1155
16Kidderminster Harriers469592829581017304559–1455
17Southend United468411272968924345163–1254
18Darlington4610493028471223335361–853
19Leyton Orient468962827551320384865–1753
20Macclesfield Town468962825541426445469–1552
21Rochdale467882826561221324958–950
22Scunthorpe United4671063627461333456972–349
23Carlisle United4685102327441523424669–2345
24York City4676102229381213373566–3144

[1]

  • Pld = Matches; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
New club in the league (also Doncaster Rovers)
Relegated to Conference

Play-offs

  Semi-finals
1st leg – 15/16 May; 2nd leg – 19/20 May 2004		 Final at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
31 May 2004
                     
4th Huddersfield Town 2 2 4  
7th Lincoln City 1 2 3  
    4th Huddersfield Town (pens.) 0 (4)
  5th Mansfield Town 0 (1)
5th Mansfield Town (pens.) 2 1 3 (5)
6th Northampton Town 0 3 3 (4)  

[1]

Third Division maps

Third Division topscorers

Rank Player Club League
1Scotland Steven MacLean Scunthorpe United 23
2Scotland David GrahamTorquay United22
3England Leon ConstantineSouthend United21
4England Liam LawrenceMansfield Town19
5England Gregg BlundellDoncaster Rovers18
=England Ben BurgessHull City18
7England Gary FletcherLincoln City17
=England Lee TrundleSwansea City17
9England Matthew TiptonMacclesfield Town16
=England Jon SteadHuddersfield Town16

[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "England 2003–04". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. 1 2 3 "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  3. ↑ soccernet.espn.go.com
  4. ↑ soccernet.espn.go.com
  5. ↑ soccernet.espn.go.com
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