2003–04 Millwall F.C. season

During the 2003–04 English football season, Millwall competed in the Football League First Division, the second tier of English football.

2003–04 Millwall F.C. season
Chairman Theo Paphitis
Manager Mark McGhee
(until 15 October)[1]
Dennis Wise
(player-manager)
StadiumThe Den
First Division10th
FA CupRunners-up
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Tim Cahill and Neil Harris (9)
All: Tim Cahill (12)

Season summary

Despite having spent the previous seasons chasing promotion to the Premiership, Mark McGhee left Millwall by "mutual consent" in October with the club just six points behind league leaders Sheffield United with 14 games played. His replacement, player-manager Dennis Wise, led Millwall to a final 10th place, four points off the play-offs. The club enjoyed greater success in the FA Cup, reaching the final for the first time in their history,[2] to face Manchester United. Millwall, who were missing 16 players through injury and suspension, were unable to create many opportunities and lost 3-0[3] to a United side which had finished third in the Premier League that season.

Curtis Weston, a boyhood United fan, became the youngest player to ever appear in an FA Cup final when he came on a substitute for Wise in the 89th minute. Weston, aged 17 years 119 days, beat the 125-year-old record previously held by James F. M. Prinsep, who appeared in the 1879 final for Clapham Rovers aged 17 years and 245 days; Weston defeated Prinsep's record by 126 days.

As United had already qualified for the Champions League, Millwall gained European qualification for the first time in their history, entering the UEFA Cup in the first round.

Final league table
Main article: 2003–04 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
8 Sheffield United 46 20 11 15 65 56 +9 71
9 Reading 46 20 10 16 55 57 −2 70
10 Millwall 46 18 15 13 55 48 +7 69 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 1]
11 Stoke City 46 18 12 16 58 55 +3 66
12 Coventry City 46 17 14 15 67 54 +13 65
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. Since the FA Cup winners Manchester United qualified for the Champions League, their place in the UEFA Cup went to Millwall, who were the FA Cup runners-up.

Kit

Strikeforce remained Millwall's kit sponsors. London-based stationery retailer Ryman became kit sponsors.

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Tony Warner[4]
2 DF Matt Lawrence
3 DF Robbie Ryan
4 MF Tim Cahill[5]
6 DF Joe Dolan
7 MF Paul Ifill[6]
8 MF David Livermore
9 FW Neil Harris
10 FW Danny Dichio
11 MF Curtis Weston
12 DF Darren Ward
13 GK Willy Guéret
14 MF Andy Roberts
16 FW Abou Fofana
17 DF Kevin Muscat
18 FW John Sutton
No. Position Player
19 MF Dennis Wise (player-manager)
21 FW Nick Chadwick (on loan from Everton)
22 FW Kevin Braniff
23 FW Mark McCammon[7]
25 MF Marvin Elliott[8]
26 MF Peter Sweeney
27 DF Alan Dunne
28 DF Mark Phillips
29 FW Bob Peeters
30 MF Charley Hearn
33 GK Andy Marshall
34 DF Paul Robinson
35 DF Tony Craig
37 MF Barry Cogan
38 MF Trevor Robinson
39 FW Mark Quigley

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
5 DF Stuart Nethercott (to Wycombe Wanderers)
10 FW Richard Sadlier (retired)
11 FW Noel Whelan (to Derby County)
No. Position Player
20 DF Ronnie Bull (to Brentford)
31 GK David McCartney (to Hornchurch)
42 DF Juan (on loan from Arsenal)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
15 FW Moses Ashikodi
31 DF Matthew Rees
32 FW Ben May
36 DF Tim Clancy
No. Position Player
40 MF Cherno Samba
41 MF Alex Tiesse
45 MF Ellis Lattimore

Awards

At the end of the season, defender Darren Ward was named the club's player of the year.

References
  1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/millwall/3193162.stm McGhee leaves Millwall, BBC News
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/millwall/4527395.stm Wise steps down as Millwall boss, BBC News
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/3725063.stm United win FA Cup, BBC News
  4. Warner was born in Liverpool, England, but also qualified to represent Trinidad and Tobago internationally, and made his debut for Trinidad and Tobago in February 2006.
  5. Cahill was born in Sydney, Australia, but also qualified to represent Samoa internationally through his mother; he previously represented Samoa at U-17 level before switching his international allegiance to Australia, and would make his international debut for Australia in March 2004.
  6. Ifill was born in Brighton, England, but qualified to represent Barbados internationally through his parents, and would make his international debut for Barbados in June 2004.
  7. McCammon was born in Barnet, England, but qualified to represent Barbados internationally, and would make his international debut for Barbados in 2006.
  8. Elliott was born in Wandsworth, England, but qualified to represent Jamaica internationally, and would make his international debut for Jamaica in October 2011.
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