2003–04 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season

Crewe Alexandra
2003–04 season
ChairmanJohn Bowler
ManagerDario Gradi
StadiumGresty Road
First Division18th
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Dean Ashton (19)

All:
Dean Ashton (20)
Average home league attendance7,741

During the 2003–04 season, Crewe Alexandra participated in the Football League First Division, their 81st in the English Football League.

Season summary

Crewe finished in 18th place, a satisfactory position for a side returning to the First Division. Striker Dean Ashton scored 19 goals to make him the league's fourth-highest scorer, attracting attention from many larger clubs.

Kit

Reebok remained Crewe's kit manufacturers, and introduced a new kit for the season. L. C. Charles continued as kit sponsors for the sixth consecutive season.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
16 Watford 46 15 12 19 54 68 −14 57
17 Rotherham United 46 13 15 18 53 61 −8 54
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
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results

Crewe Alexandra's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 2003 Wimbledon A 1–3 1,145 Brammer
16 August 2003 Ipswich Town H 1–0 6,982 Lunt
23 August 2003 Millwall A 1–1 9,504 Ashton
25 August 2003 Walsall H 1–0 7,026 S Jones
30 August 2003 Burnley A 0–1 11,495
13 September 2003 Rotherham United A 2–0 5,495 Ashton (pen), Walker
16 September 2003 West Ham United H 0–3 9,575
20 September 2003 Nottingham Forest H 3–1 8,685 Lunt, Ashton, S Jones
27 September 2003 Cardiff City A 0–3 14,385
1 October 2003 Coventry City A 0–2 11,557
4 October 2003 Watford H 0–1 7,055
14 October 2003 Bradford City H 2–2 5,867 S Jones, Ashton
18 October 2003 Derby County H 3–0 8,656 Barrowman, Ashton, Rix
21 October 2003 Preston North End H 2–1 7,012 Lunt, Foster
25 October 2003 Stoke City A 1–1 17,569 S Jones
1 November 2003 Reading H 1–0 7,091 S Jones
4 November 2003 Sheffield United A 0–2 17,396
8 November 2003 Gillingham A 0–2 6,923
22 November 2003 Sunderland H 3–0 9,807 Ashton, S Jones (2)
29 November 2003 Norwich City A 0–1 16,367
6 December 2003 Gillingham H 1–1 6,271 S Jones
9 December 2003 Crystal Palace A 3–1 12,259 Ashton (2), Varney
13 December 2003 West Bromwich Albion A 2–2 22,825 S Jones, Wright
20 December 2003 Wigan Athletic H 2–3 7,873 B Jones, S Jones
26 December 2003 Burnley H 3–1 9,512 Ashton, S Jones (2)
28 December 2003 Preston North End A 0–0 15,830
10 January 2004 Wimbledon H 1–0 20,473 S Jones
17 January 2004 Ipswich Town A 4–6 22,071 Ashton, McGreal (own goal), Richards (own goal), Robinson
31 January 2004 Millwall H 1–2 6,685 Roberts
7 February 2004 Walsall A 1–1 6,871 Foster
21 February 2004 Bradford City A 1–2 9,935 Rix
24 February 2004 Sheffield United H 0–1 6,525
3 March 2004 Derby County A 0–0 19,861
6 March 2004 Wigan Athletic A 3–2 8,367 Ashton (3, 2 pens)
13 March 2004 West Bromwich Albion H 1–2 8,335 Ashton
17 March 2004 West Ham United A 2–4 31,158 S Jones
20 March 2004 Cardiff City H 0–1 6,650
23 March 2004 Stoke City H 2–0 10,014 Hall (own goal), Lunt
27 March 2004 Nottingham Forest A 0–2 24,347
3 April 2004 Rotherham United H 0–0 6,749
10 April 2004 Watford A 1–2 18,041 Ashton (pen)
12 April 2004 Coventry City H 3–1 7,475 Higdon, Symes, Ashton (pen)
17 April 2004 Reading A 1–1 14,729 Lunt
24 April 2004 Crystal Palace H 2–3 8,136 Ashton, Lunt
1 May 2004 Sunderland A 1–1 25,311 Ashton
9 May 2004 Norwich City A 1–3 9,833 Ashton

FA Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 2004 Telford United H 0–1 7,085

League Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 12 August 2003 Wrexham H 2–0 3,152 Ashton (pen), S Jones
R2 23 September 2003 Leicester City A 0–1 27,675

Squad

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 Trinidad and Tobago TRI Clayton Ince
2 DF England ENG David Wright
3 DF England ENG Richard Walker
4 MF England ENG Kenny Lunt
5 DF England ENG Adie Moses
6 DF England ENG Stephen Foster
7 MF England ENG Neil Sorvel
8 MF England ENG Dave Brammer
9 FW Northern Ireland NIR Steve Jones
10 FW England ENG Dean Ashton
11 MF Wales WAL David Vaughan
12 MF England ENG Lee Bell
13 GK Nigeria NGA Ademola Bankole
14 MF England ENG Ben Rix
15 FW England ENG Luke Varney
16 DF England ENG Anthony Tonkin
17 MF England ENG James Robinson
18 DF England ENG Chris McCready
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 MF England ENG Justin Cochrane
20 FW Scotland SCO Allan Smart
21 FW England ENG Paul Edwards
22 GK England ENG Stuart Tomlinson
23 MF England ENG Alex Morris
24 FW England ENG Matthew Platt
25 DF England ENG Matt Garner
26 MF England ENG Michael Higdon
27 DF England ENG Adam Yates
28 MF England ENG Gary Roberts
29 DF England ENG Billy Jones
30 FW England ENG Kyle Wilson
31 FW England ENG Ian Jeffs
32 DF England ENG Tom Betts
33 FW Libya LBY Éamon Zayed (on loan from Bray Wanderers)
34 MF England ENG Craig Hignett (on loan from Leicester City)
35 GK England ENG Ben Williams (on loan from Manchester United)
36 FW England ENG Michael Symes (on loan from Everton)

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. Pos. Nation Player
28 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Jon Walters (on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
No. Pos. Nation Player
28 FW England ENG Andrew Barrowman (on loan from Birmingham City)

Transfers

In

Out

Top scorers

References