2003–04 Derby County F.C. season

During the 2003–04 English football season, Derby County F.C. competed in the First Division.

Derby County
2003–04 season
ChairmanEngland Lionel Pickering (until October)
England John Sleightholme
ManagerScotland George Burley
StadiumPride Park Stadium
First Division20th
FA CupThird round
Carling CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Ian Taylor (11)
All: Taylor (12)
Average home league attendance22,199

Season summary

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George Burley's first full season in charge brought little joy as Derby recorded a 20th-placed finish in the 2003–04 season, just 1 point clear of relegation with safety not confirmed until the penultimate game of the season with a 2–0 win over Millwall. With no money for players and the need to slash the club's wage bill, big names such as Fabrizio Ravanelli, Georgi Kinkladze and Craig Burley left the club with the gaps of their departure shored up by free signings; Candido Costa was taken on a season long loan whilst seven others – including Mathias Svensson and Leon Osman – were recruited on short term loans, as Derby used a club record 36 different players in the course of the season. There was also the continued introduction of academy players to the side, with Tom Huddlestone and Marcus Tudgay making significant contributions alongside players such as Lee Grant and Lee Holmes. Burley achieved safety against a background of boardroom uncertainty – Chairman Lionel Pickering, after putting temporary faith in former Coventry City chairman Bryan Richardson and a notional £30m bond, was removed from the chair after the club temporarily entered receivership by The Co-operative Bank, who instantly installed a new board composed of John Sleightholme, Jeremy Keith and Steve Harding, for the cost of £1 each.

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
18 Crewe Alexandra 46 14 11 21 57 66 −9 53
19 Burnley 46 13 14 19 60 77 −17 53
20 Derby County 46 13 13 20 53 67 −14 52
21 Gillingham 46 14 9 23 48 67 −19 51
22 Walsall (R) 46 13 12 21 45 65 −20 51 Relegation to Football League One
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Results

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Derby County's score comes first[1]

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 2003 Stoke City H 0–3 21,517
16 August 2003 Gillingham A 0–0 7,850
23 August 2003 Reading H 2–3 18,970 Taylor (pen), Svensson
25 August 2003 Cardiff City A 1–4 15,091 Svensson
30 August 2003 West Bromwich Albion H 0–1 21,499
13 September 2003 Walsall A 1–0 8,726 Júnior
17 September 2003 Watford H 3–2 18,459 Taylor, Svensson, Júnior
20 September 2003 Sunderland H 1–1 22,535 Taylor
27 September 2003 Nottingham Forest A 1–1 29,059 Júnior
30 September 2003 Bradford City A 2–1 10,143 Morris (2)
4 October 2003 West Ham United H 0–1 22,810
11 October 2003 Wigan Athletic H 2–2 19,151 Taylor (pen), Morris
14 October 2003 Crystal Palace A 1–1 22,810 Zavagno
18 October 2003 Crewe Alexandra A 0–3 8,656
21 October 2003 Norwich City A 1–2 16,346 Taylor (pen)
25 October 2003 Coventry City H 1–3 21,641 Holmes
1 November 2003 Preston North End A 0–3 12,839
8 November 2003 Ipswich Town H 2–2 19,976 Kennedy, Dichio
15 November 2003 Burnley H 2–0 30,359 Morris, Taylor (pen)
22 November 2003 Millwall A 0–0 10,308
29 November 2003 Wimbledon H 3–1 22,025 Herzig (own goal), Tudgay, Holmes
6 December 2003 Ipswich Town A 1–2 25,018 Tudgay
13 December 2003 Rotherham United A 0–0 7,320
26 December 2003 West Bromwich Albion A 1–1 26,412 Costa
28 December 2003 Norwich City H 0–4 23,783
10 January 2004 Stoke City A 1–2 16,402 Morris
17 January 2004 Gillingham H 2–1 20,473 Vincent, Edwards
28 January 2004 Sheffield United H 2–0 26,603 Tudgay, McLeod
31 January 2004 Reading A 1–3 14,382 Johnson
7 February 2004 Cardiff City H 2–2 20,958 Taylor, Osman
14 February 2004 Wigan Athletic A 0–2 9,146
21 February 2004 Crystal Palace H 2–1 21,856 Manel, Osman
28 February 2004 Coventry City A 0–2 16,042
3 March 2004 Crewe Alexandra H 0–0 19,861
13 March 2004 Rotherham United H 1–0 21,741 Peschisolido
16 March 2004 Watford A 1–2 13,931 Peschisolido
20 March 2004 Nottingham Forest H 4–2 32,390 Taylor, Peschisolido (2), Tudgay
23 March 2004 Sheffield United A 1–1 21,351 Taylor (pen)
27 March 2004 Sunderland A 1–2 30,838 Taylor (pen)
3 April 2004 Walsall H 0–1 23,574
10 April 2004 West Ham United A 0–0 28,207
12 April 2004 Bradford City H 3–2 21,593 Osman, Taylor, Combe (own goal)
17 April 2004 Preston North End H 5–1 24,162 Manel (2), Tudgay (2), Júnior
24 April 2004 Burnley A 0–1 16,189
1 May 2004 Millwall H 2–0 26,056 Bolder, Reich
9 May 2004 Wimbledon A 0–1 6,509

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 2004 Ipswich Town A 0–3 16,159

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 13 August 2003 Huddersfield Town A 1–2 6,672 Taylor

Squad

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Squad at end of season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ENG Andy Oakes
2 DF   WAL Rob Edwards[notes 1] (on loan from Aston Villa)
3 DF   ENG Jamie Vincent
4 DF   ENG Dave Walton
5 DF   IRL Jeff Kenna
6 DF   ENG Pablo Mills
7 MF   ENG Ian Taylor (captain)
8 MF   POR Cândido Costa (on loan from Porto)
9 FW   ESP Manel
10 DF   JAM Michael Johnson[notes 2]
11 FW   CAN Paul Peschisolido
13 GK   ENG Lee Grant
14 DF   ENG Richard Jackson
15 MF   ENG Adam Bolder
16 DF   FRA Youl Mawéné
17 DF   ENG Paul Boertien
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW   ENG Izale McLeod
19 MF   ENG Nathan Doyle
20 MF   ENG Lewis Hunt
21 MF   SCO Gary Twigg
22 FW   GER Marco Reich
23 FW   ENG Marcus Tudgay
24 GK   ENG Lee Camp[notes 3]
26 DF   ENG Chris Palmer
27 DF   ENG James Turner
28 MF   FIN Kris Weckström
29 DF   ENG Tom Huddlestone
30 MF   ENG Lee Holmes
31 FW   PER Gianfranco Labarthe
32 MF   ENG Leon Osman (on loan from Everton)
33 FW   BRA José Júnior
34 FW   ENG Noel Whelan

Left club during season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF   ENG Warren Barton (to Queens Park Rangers)
3 DF   ARG Luciano Zavagno (to A.C. Ancona)
5 DF   ENG Steve Elliott (to Blackpool)
9 FW   ENG Lee Bradbury (on loan from Portsmouth)
9 FW   ENG Danny Dichio (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)
11 MF   ENG Lee Morris (to Leicester City)
12 MF   FIN Simo Valakari (to FC Dallas)
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 MF   ENG Adam Murray (to Burton Albion)
22 FW   ENG Lee Bradbury (on loan from Portsmouth)
25 MF   IRL Barry Molloy (to Drogheda United)
32 MF   SCO Gary Caldwell (on loan from Newcastle United)
32 MF   NIR Peter Kennedy (on loan from Wigan Athletic)
34 FW   SWE Mathias Svensson (on loan from Charlton Athletic)

References

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  1. ^ "Derby County 2003–2004 Home". statto.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2012.

Notes

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  1. ^ Edwards was born in Madeley, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Wales in March 2003.
  2. ^ Johnson was born in Nottingham, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1999.
  3. ^ Camp was born in Derby, England, and represented them at U-21 level, but also qualifies to represent Northern Ireland internationally and would make his full international debut for Northern Ireland in March 2011.